Hearing delayed for Fairfield teens

FAIRFIELD — A hearing for the two Fairfield teens charged with murder has been delayed from Thursday to March 17.

Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Goodale were scheduled to appear in court Thursday for a hearing on whether they will be tried as juveniles or adults in the death of Nohema Graber, a Fairfield High School Spanish teacher. Miller and Goodale are charged with killing Graber in early November 2021, when they were both 16 years old. They have been charged as adults, but their defense attorneys have sought to have them tried as juveniles.

Miller’s attorney, Christine Branstad, asked for Thursday’s hearing to be delayed, a motion the court granted.

Goodale and Miller have each pleaded not guilty, and their trials are set for April 19 in Jefferson County District Court. The two are accused of planning to kill Nohema Graber, 66, who had taught at Fairfield High since 2012. Authorities found her body Nov. 3 in Chautauqua City Park, just blocks east of the school, where she was known to walk.

According to court documents, the teens devised plans over social media exchanges to kill Graber, and then conceal her body in the park. Authorities wrote in court affidavits that the social media exchanges provide a motive for the killing, but they have not released that information to the public.

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