DES MOINES, Iowa – A southeast Iowa town is reeling after two high school students were charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Spanish teacher who taught at their school.
Police confirmed Thursday that human remains discovered Wednesday in Fairfield’s Chautauqua Park were those of Nohema Graber, who had been reported missing earlier in the day, according to a news release from the city of Fairfield posted on Facebook.
Graber, 66, had taught Spanish at Fairfield High School since 2012. Police allege two students at the high school — Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 16, and Jeremy Everett Goodale, 16 — are responsible for her death.
Both have been charged with first-degree homicide and first-degree conspiracy to commit homicide and will be charged as adults “based on the circumstances and their ages,” according to the news release.
Fairfield students were dismissed from classes early Thursday, and classes were canceled Friday.
According to a criminal complaint, investigators say Graber was last known to be at Chautauqua Park on Tuesday — she’d frequently walk in the park in the afternoon.
Police say they found her body Wednesday in the park under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties. Detectives wrote that their preliminary investigation indicated Graber suffered “inflicted trauma to the head.”
Police received a tip that Goodale posted details about planning the killing and a possible motive on social media, according to court documents. The court filings did not detail the possible motive.
A search warrant at the suspects’ homes uncovered clothing items that appeared to have blood on them, police said.
In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding called the case tragic, but declined to provide further specifics to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
Those who know Graber say she was a leader in Fairfield’s Latino community. And, they say, her love for her family, community and students was…
Source : yahoo
