Fairfield teen Chaiden Miller sentenced to life in prison for murdering teacher

FAIRFIELD - A district court judge has sentenced a Fairfield teenager to life in prison Thursday for murdering his Spanish teacher over a bad grade.

Judge Shawn Showers issued his ruling late Thursday afternoon in the case involving Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 17, who pleaded guilty to murdering Nohema Graber, 66, in November 2021 and hiding her body in Fairfield’s Chautauqua Park. Showers sentenced Miller to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 35 years.

During the sentencing hearing, the prosecution called four witnesses and presented evidence detailing Miller’s involvement in the planning and execution of the murder on Nov. 2, 2021, which he did with co-defendant Jeremy Everett Goodale, who also pleaded guilty to the murder.

Prosecutors presented evidence showing that Miller was receiving an F in Graber’s Spanish class at Fairfield High School, and this was the motive for the murder, which he began planning one to two weeks in advance. The state presented a note that was saved on Miller’s phone titled “Prep” indicating a list of supplies he would need including plastic gloves, a trash bag, wet wipes, a transport vehicle and other items. Graber died from blunt force trauma from being struck in the head with a baseball bat.

Showers said he felt it was necessary to impose a mandatory minimum sentence on Miller given the brutal nature of the crime and what motivated Miller to commit it.

“Any individual who would plan and participate in a murder based on an unsatisfactory grade is an individual who will require immense rehabilitation,” Showers said.

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