Jury is seated for murder of 13-year-old Blacksburg girl

Jury consists of nine men and five women

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. – 3:30 p.m. update:

A jury of nine men and five women has been seated for the trial of Natalie Keepers in Montgomery County. 

The Commonwealth released the list of the dozen witnesses that they will be calling -- many are investigators or detectives that worked the case and were also called to testify in the David Eisenhauer trial. 

Eisenhauer was not on the list of witnesses, and there is no indication at this time that he will be called to testify. 

One notable witness is Tammy Weeks, Nicole Lovell's mother. 

Opening statements will begin Tuesday at 9 a.m.


2 p.m. update:

Court is in recess and 26 jurors have been seated.

When court resumes, the commonwealth's attorney and the defense attorneys will each be able to strike up to six jurors.

Judge Robert Turk said the final panel will be set by the end of Monday.

Court has been recessed until 2:30 p.m.


Noon update:

The jury selection process has begun for Natalie Keepers trial in Montgomery County.

The first part of Monday morning was spent seating two panels of potential jurors. Judge Robert Turk oversaw questioning of each panel, totaling 26 people from Montgomery County. In total the court will seat 14 jurors which include two alternates.

As of noon Monday, that jury has not been determined.

Nine potential jurors have been struck from serving on Keeper's jury. Many of those questioned admitted to following news coverage of the Nicole Lovell case. Several jurors even said they believed that Keepers was guilty, stating they could not put their bias aside to fairly serve as a juror in the case.

One potential juror even cried when being questioned because she felt so emotionally involved with the case, because Lovell was the same age as her daughter. Judge Turk dismissed her from serving on the jury.

Keepers, who work a black two-piece suit over a white buttoned up shirt, put her head down, and shielded her face with her hand, while the potential juror began crying.

Court will resume at 12:45 p.m. Judge Turk said he plans to seat a jury pool of 26 people. Both the commonwealth and defense will receive 6 strikes to remove jurors of their choice. In total 14 jurors will be selected including two alternates.


The trial for one of the former Virginia Tech students charged in connection with the murder of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell is scheduled to begin Monday.

Natalie Keepers is accused of helping David Eisenhauer, who will spend the next 50 years in prison for the Blacksburg teen's 2016 murder. 

Nicole Lovell

Last month, Keepers pleaded guilty to the less serious of the two charges she's facing. 

NICOLE LOVELL: A TIMELINE 

Her attorneys hope that by pleading guilty to concealing Lovell's body, evidence can be tossed out from Keepers' other charge, accessory before the fact of murder. 

Jury selection is expected to begin Monday. 10 News will have a crew in the courtroom. 


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