Prosecutors: teens surveilled, ambushed Fairfield teacher

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) - Prosecutors say the two teens accused of killing a Fairfield teacher watched her and ambushed her along her daily walking route then returned later to better hide her body.

16-year-old classmates Jeremy Goodale and Willard Miller are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Nohema Graber, a high school Spanish teacher. Her body was found in a Fairfield park on November second.

Jeremy Everett Goodale, left, 16, and Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, right, 16.(Courtesy Photos)

The new details are revealed in a filing resisting a motion to move Goodale’s case to juvenile court. Both Goodale and Miller are charged as adults but a hearing to move both cases to juvenile court is scheduled for January 27th.

In the filing, prosecutors described the planning Goodale and Miller put into the fatal attack on Graber

“Defendant is accused a pre-planned and pre-meditated homicide, an act which included surveilling the victim’s pattern of life, ambushing her along her daily walk and dragging her into the woods, then returning later to better hide her lifeless body,” prosecutors argued.

Prosecutors go on to say they do not believe Goodale and Miller have a reasonable hope of rehabilitation within the Juvenile Court System.

Investigators have not released a motive for the murder but did confirm they were investigating rumors Goodale and Miller were upset over a bad grade.

The murder of Graber drew outrage and mourning from the Fairfield community, with hundreds of people turning out for a vigil at the school to remember her.