Fairfield teen accused of killing teacher most ‘ripe’ for rehab now, psychologist says

FAIRFIELD — A Des Moines clinical psychologist Friday said one of the teens accused of killing their Fairfield High Spanish teacher is a different person now than he was in November, when the murder happened, because of the rapid brain development that occurs in adolescents.

Craig Rypma, a psychologist who owns Counseling and Assessment Services in Des Moines, said during a court hearing this development is significant because it affects an adolescent’s decision making, empathy, independent decisions from a peer group, and knowing right from wrong — all characteristic traits that evolve as adolescents mature.

Willard Chaiden Noble Miller, 16, who was referred to as “Chaiden” during the hearing, is “ripe for change now” and if his murder case was moved to juvenile court, he could receive the needed treatment and programming to help him develop those traits while he is most adaptable to behavior change, Rypma said.

Miller is the second teen seeking to have their cases transferred from district — adult — court to juvenile court, where he would face lesser charges and penalties if convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony.

The other teen charged, Jeremy Goodale, 17, asked the court to move his case to juvenile court late last month.

Eighth Judicial District Judge Shawn Showers said he would take Miller’s motions, as he did with Goodale’s, under advisement and make written rulings at a later date.

Miller and Goodale are accused of killing teacher Nohema Graber, 66, with a baseball bat in November, according to court documents. Her body was concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties in Chautauqua Park in Fairfield.

Rypma said he conducted a forensic interview with Miller, who turns 17 on Aug. 9, for over two hours and reviewed a juvenile court officer’s report and criminal complaints and minutes of testimony in this case. He didn’t conduct any cognitive testing but did have access to his school records. Those records show Miller has a GPA of 2.84.

The psychologist found Miller to be kind and have “age appropriate compassionate behavior.” He said Miller made the comment that what happened was ‘Awful and shouldn’t have happened.’

Rypma also found the teen impressionable, easily persuaded by others and more of a follower than a leader. Personal statements made by others — who provided reference letters for the court in this hearing — seemed to confirm his opinion, Rypma said.

Miller would benefit from juvenile court services and treatment based on his brain development and no history of anti-social behavior or being in juvenile court, he said. His potential for rehabilitation right now and in prison the treatment would be delayed until closer to his release.

Rypma said changes in the brain rapidly occur between age 12 and 18 and then continues to improve at ages 21 through 22. Even if the allegations of killing Graber are true, he still believes the time for optimum change is 16 to 18 or 19 years of age.

He understood there are waiting lists for some juvenile court treatment in Iowa but the ideal rehabilitation time for Miller is six months to a year, and that would be possible at the state training school.

On cross, Rypma admitted he had never given a recommendation in court for sending a teen to adult court. Of course, he said he had recommended it before but then the defense never called him to testify.

Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Patrick McAvan asked if he understood any rehabilitation wouldn’t start in the juvenile system until Miller would be convicted and that would limit the time for services.

Rypma admitted he didn’t formulate a treatment plan for Miller and doesn’t know how long rehabilitation would take. However, he didn’t believe an adolescent who did “one act” would need a lengthy rehabilitation period. Possibly six months.

Karen Dennler, an 8th Judicial District juvenile court officer, also testified Friday and recommended Miller stay in adult court because there isn’t enough time to rehabilitate Miller before he turns 18. The waiting list for juvenile court assessment, which must be conducted after conviction and before treatment starts, is August. Staffing and space for placement has been affected by the pandemic.

Dennler said she couldn’t interview Miller or review much information about him because his attorneys declined it but she did receive a release from Fairfield High and learned he only had one discipline report, which she found interesting because it involved Miller having a cellphone in Graber’s Spanish class.

Any other option for Miller, outside the training school, takes some “hoops” to jump through after all other resources have been exhausted. Other facilities might not take him and for out-of-state placement, which the defense suggested, was even more difficult and requires the Department of Human Services, who provides that funding, to approve.

Christine Branstad, Miller’s lawyer, argued there would be enough time for rehabilitation based on Rypma’s opinion. She also pointed out reference letters submitted to the court that seems to show that his behavior back in November is indicative of something going wrong, not ongoing behavior for him.

She cited some letters of how Miller was seen as kind, affectionate, friendly, earnest and polite. One person said Miller had given his hamster to a 4-year-old who babysat the rodent and became attached, so Miller gave it to him. Another letter was from a father of a girl Miller dated, who said Miller respected her boundaries and was a “good first boyfriend,” Branstad said.

The portrayal of Miller as a “villain” goes against everything his family and others have said.

Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding argued this was a “brutal murder” — a premeditated act — that the court should consider in its decision. The juvenile court officer said there are no reasonable prospects for rehabilitation before he turns 18.

Rypma made the comment that the community will “lose out” — on a member of society — if Miller is sent to prison, but Moulding pointed out the community has already suffered loss from Miller’s action of killing Graber.

Moulding said the system already has provisions in place to take into account brain development. A person that commits a forcible felony, such as murder, will be charged in adult court if 16 or 17 years of age and he/she cannot be sentenced to life without parole and is eligible for parole on “day 1.” If the person is 18, then it’s a life sentence without parole.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com