Second teen charged in death of Fairfield teacher to also be tried as adult

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) - A judge has now denied the request to transfer the case of both teens accused of killing a Fairfield teacher to juvenile court.

The judge’s decision on Thursday to deny Willard Miller, 16, transfer to juvenile court comes after the same decision was made for Jeremy Goodale, 17, on Wednesday.

The teens are accused of killing Fairfield High School Spanish Teacher Nohema Graber.

Graber was reported missing on November 3, 2021. Her body was later found at Chautauqua Park. Police say she was beaten with a baseball bat.

The teens will have separate trials, but both are charged as adults.

Court documents show the judge ruled that it would not be in Miller’s, or the community’s, best interest to transfer jurisdiction to juvenile court.

If both teens are convicted as adults, they face life in prison.

A pretrial conference is set for Miller for Oct. 3 at 1:15 p.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield.

A jury trial remains set for Nov. 1, at 9 a.m., with the venue yet to be determined.

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