Iowa teens killed Spanish teacher over a bad grade, say prosecutors

The motive behind the murder of an Iowa high school Spanish teacher was frustration over a bad grade, prosecutors said in court Tuesday.

Willard Miller and Jeremy Goodale, both 17, are charged with murdering Nohema Graber, a high school Spanish teacher in the small town of Fairfield about one year ago, according to The Daily Mail.

Court documents filed on Tuesday revealed the murder was motivated by a poor grade Miller received in his Spanish class with Graber.

Investigators say Miller, then 16, met with the teacher on the afternoon of Nov. 2, 2021, the day she went was reported missing. Graber was later seen driving her van to a park where she was known to take daily walks after school, but witnesses saw the same van leave the park less than an hour later with two males in the front seat, according to authorities.

Miller said in a police interview that he was frustrated with Graber’s instruction and how the grade in her class was lowering his GPA. He admitted he was at the park as the murder was taking place but did not participate, saying he was forced to help hide the body by the “roving band of masked kids” who actually killed her.

“The poor grade is believed to be the motive behind the murder of Graber which directly connects Miller,” court documents filed by Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding and Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown said.

Graber was reported missing the morning of Nov. 3, 2021. Her remains were found under a tarp and wheelbarrow and indicated head trauma.

The documents were filed by prosecutors ahead of a hearing on whether or not to suppress their evidence against Miller and Goodale.

The evidence includes recordings of a Snapchat conversation “that identify Goodale’s admissions that they acted in concert with another person to bring about Graber’s death.” The witness who provided the chat logs identified Goodale as making statements that implicate both Goodale and Miller by name, reports The Daily Mail.

Miller’s lawyer says the search warrants were issued illegally.

Both teens were tried as adults and face life in prison if found guilty. However, Iowa Supreme Court rulings require all juveniles be given a chance for parole.