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Judge rules trial for teen charged with Fairfield teacher’s murder to be held in adult court

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May 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A district court judge has ruled one of the Fairfield teens accused of killing a high school Spanish teacher will not have his case moved to juvenile court. Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Goodale is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of 66-year-old Nohema Graber and will stand accused in an adult courtroom starting August 23rd. Willard Miller faces the same charges. Both were 16 at the time of the November 2nd murder.

Goodale and Willard Miller both sought waivers of their case to juvenile court. Judge Shawn Showers states in his ruling that there are no reasonable prospects for rehabilitating Goodale in juvenile court given the magnitude of the crime described in the charging documents.

A ruling on Miller’s request to be tried in juvenile court could come later this week.