Sentencing resumes for teen who admitted to killing Fairfield Spanish teacher
FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) - Sentencing is expected to wrap up Wednesday for one of two teens who admitted to beating and killing their Spanish teacher in Fairfield.
WATCH PART 2 HERE:
Willard Miller and Jeremy Goodale killed Nohema Graber in November 2021.
Court documents show they beat her with a baseball bat in a city park because of a bad grade in class.
Both pleaded guilty to first degree murder. Miller was sentenced to life in prison in July. He is appealing that decision.
Goodale’s sentencing hearing began Tuesday at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
WATCH PART ONE HERE:
A judge heard testimony from a psychologist as well as Goodale’s father.
Dean Goodale spoke about his family, and Jeremy’s life at home before he was arrested.
He said Jeremy’s mother was absent from his life after they divorced.
Goodale said that “abandonment” had a serious impact on Jeremy’s relationships, and that he struggled during the pandemic.
He said things escalated in the months leading up to Graber’s murder, when Jeremy started having emotional outbursts.
“He would, sometimes yeah he would literally break down crying, and screaming some very self-deprecatory things about himself.”
Dean Goodale also talked about Jeremy’s relationship with Willard Miller, saying they were close, longtime friends.
The sentencing hearing resumes at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
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