November 16th 2023.
On Tuesday, 18-year-old Jeremy Goodale was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years for his role in the gruesome murder of Nohema Graber, a beloved Spanish teacher in Fairfield, Iowa.
Goodale was overcome with emotion as he offered an apology to the court for his actions.
“Two years ago I made the worst decision of my life, and I take full responsibility for what I did,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “Today, as a young man, I can begin to pay for that.”
The incident occurred in 2021, when Graber asked Goodale to stay after class to discuss his poor grade on a recent test. Investigators believe this to be the motive behind the murder. Graber was found beaten to death and hidden in Chautauqua Park just outside the small town of about 9,000 people.
Goodale and his accomplice, then 16-year-old John Miller, were arrested for the murder later that same day. They were identified as suspects after bragging about the crime on social media, prosecutors said. Both teenagers were charged as adults and pleaded guilty in April 2023.
At Miller's sentencing hearing in July, he apologized to Graber's family and accepted responsibility for the killing. “The poor grade is believed to be the motive behind the murder of Graber which directly connects Miller,” prosecutors said.
At Goodale’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, District Court Judge Shawn Showers said there was “no excuse” for his actions, which he called “sinister and evil.” Goodale addressed the court, Graber’s surviving family, and his own family, offering a tearful apology for his actions.
“I’m understanding now that Ms Graber meant so much to so many people,” he said. “She was a support to the community, and those close to her, and she was a caregiver to her family. I’m sorry for the stigma placed on you just for having known me. I’m sorry that I let you down in so many ways.”
Goodale also apologized to his friends and peers at Fairfield High School, as well as his parents and siblings. Before the sentence was handed down, his nose began bleeding uncontrollably. Judge Showers said Goodale had less “sinister” motivation for the killing than his accomplice, but noted that he could have stopped Miller at any point in time.
Ultimately, Goodale was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility for parole after 25 years. The judge said he will require “significant rehabilitation” before he is granted parole. Goodale accepted his sentence and promised to make the most of the opportunity for a second chance.
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