Appeals court upholds Jeremy Goodale’s life sentence in Spanish teacher killing

The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the life with parole sentence for one of the Fairfield High School students who stalked and killed a Spanish teacher with a bat in 2021.

The court ruled last week the trial judge didn’t abuse his discretion in sentencing 18-year-old Jeremy Everett Goodale to life with the possibility of parole after 25 years for his role in killing Nohema Graber, 66, in what the trial judge called a “brutal fashion.”

Eighth Judicial District Judge Shawn Showers, during sentencing, said it was a “beyond the pale” murder carried out by a former student of hers, Goodale, and current student at the time, Willard Chaiden Miller — both then 16 — on Nov. 2, 2021.

Showers also noted Miller planned the fatal attack but both teens stalked Graber to learn her daily routine and then fatally assaulted with a bat at a park near the school.

Goodale, in his appeal, contended the district court abuse its discretion because it failed to consider specific juvenile factors and imposed a mandatory minimum of 25 years.

The appeals court, in affirming Goodale’s sentence, found Showers “thoroughly” considered each of the factors required by the court, and the sentence falls within the statutory requirements.

According to testimony at sentencing, Goodale was the last person Graber saw before she was beaten to death.

Goodale, who said he was wearing a mask, told investigators he came toward Graber as she was on her regular walk in Chatauqua Park in Fairfield after school that day.

When she saw him, Goodale pulled away his mask and smiled to reassure her everything was OK just as Miller came up behind her and swung the bat, hitting her in the back of the head, Goodale said in a police interview.

Goodale, who was going to be the lookout, then dragged Graber’s body off the trail. When he heard her breathing, he struck her in the head five more times with the bat to make sure she was dead.

Miller planned the killing because he was mad because Graber was failing him in Spanish. He planned to study abroad and needed a good grade in the class, according to evidence. Goodale went along with Miller because they were friends and Goodale didn’t want Miller to think less of him.

Miller was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. His appeal was denied last October.

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