An Iowa teenager who was found guilty in the 2021 beating death of a high school Spanish teacher received a life sentence on Wednesday, with the possibility of parole in 25 years.
Jeremy Goodale, 18, was sentenced by a judge for his involvement in the killing of Nohema Graber, a 66-year-old teacher at Fairfield High School. Goodale and a friend had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the fatal beating of Graber.
The two high school students used a bat to fatally assault Graber after stalking her during her daily walk in a large park in Fairfield, a small Iowa city located approximately 100 miles southeast of Des Moines.
Before the sentencing, Goodale offered apologies to the teacher’s family, the community, and his own family.
“I’m truly sorry. What I’ve taken can never be replaced,” Goodale expressed, occasionally interrupted by sobs. “Every day I wish I could go back and stop myself, prevent this loss and this pain that I’ve caused everyone.”
Following his statement, Goodale, still in tears, experienced a nosebleed for several minutes, causing a temporary pause in the proceedings, as reported by CBS affiliate KCCI-TV.
Prosecutors revealed that Goodale and his friend Willard Miller, both 16 at the time, decided to kill Graber due to a poor grade she had given Miller. Miller proposed the idea to kill Graber after fearing the grade would hinder his participation in a study abroad program.
Judge Shawn Showers considered 25 factors before issuing the life sentence with a 25-year minimum. Showers acknowledged Goodale’s remorse but noted that the teenager, a smart individual, could have prevented the crime from happening.
The judge’s decision aligned with the prosecution’s requested sentence. Goodale’s lawyer had argued for life imprisonment with no mandatory minimum sentence before parole eligibility.
Although charged as adults, the age of the two students exempted them from an Iowa requirement mandating life without parole for those convicted of first-degree murder.
In July, Miller was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years.
After pleading guilty in April to killing Graber, Goodale and Miller used a wheelbarrow to move her body to a location near railroad tracks, covering it with a tarp and placing a wheelbarrow and a railroad tie over it.
Graber, originally from Xalapa, Mexico, worked as a flight attendant and later became a licensed commercial airline pilot. She moved to Fairfield in 1992 after her marriage, obtained a teaching certificate, and had been employed at Fairfield High School since 2012. Her husband, Paul Graber, died of cancer after her death, leaving behind three children.
Before Goodale’s sentencing, 10 members of Graber’s family delivered victim impact statements or had statements read by a court official. Goodale appeared to struggle with composure and tears during these statements.
Tom Graber, the victim’s brother-in-law, stated that the killing devastated their family and hastened his brother’s death. While acknowledging Goodale’s apparent remorse, he questioned the sincerity of those statements, particularly in light of the legal defense arguing to mitigate punishment.
“I must say your actions to me undercut that,” Graber said. “You’re now an adult. You’re over the age of 18, and yet you have your counsel to represent you … arguing on your behalf to escape punishment for this horrific crime. That doesn’t sound like remorse to me.”
Judge Showers, as he delivered the ruling, expressed optimism about Goodale’s potential for rehabilitation compared to co-defendant Miller, citing cooperation and sincerity.
“I wish you luck, Mr. Goodale, and I hope everyone in this room can heal as well,” Showers concluded.
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