11/2/2022
Iowa – Spanish Teacher Possibly Beat To Death For Giving Bad Grades
New court documents filed this week say Willard Miller met with Nohema Graber on Nov. 2 to discuss his poor grade in her Spanish class.
The poor grade “is believed to be the motive behind the murder of Graber,” prosecutors say.
Graber was reported missing the next day and was found dead later that same day in Fairfield’s Chatauqua Park. Miller and fellow Fairfield High School student Jeremy Goodale were later charged with her murder and have been in custody ever since.
When interviewed by law enforcement, court documents said Miller told investigators he was frustrated with the way Graber taught Spanish, but denied knowledge of her disappearance. Prosecutors said he later told them he knew of her disappearance but did not participate. Then he said he was forced to help move the body by the “real killers” and at one point said, “a roving group of masked kids made him help.”
Miller is due back in court Wednesday, where his attorneys will ask a judge to suppress evidence against him.
Miller’s lawyers are arguing his rights were violated by law enforcement taking and searching his phone, computer and Snapchat account. His defense claims warrants to look through those things did not have probable cause. The defense is also arguing any statements made to police by Miller were not voluntary; the defense alleges police told Miller’s mother they wanted her to sign a waiver to ask him about Graber’s disappearance, but say she was never informed the warrant was about a homicide.
At the police station, law enforcement presented Miller’s mother with a juvenile waiver and informed her they wished to speak with her son regarding a missing person (Nohema Graber). Miller’s mother was informed about vandalism at Graber’s home. At no time was Miller’s mother informed the warrant regarded a homicide investigation, the body of Graber was found or Miller was a suspect.
The defense filed this motion to suppress back in March but the prosecution filed its resistance just this week.
The state said probable cause did exist because a juvenile witness, who knew both suspects, gave them evidence from Snapchat suggesting Goodale and Miller were involved in Graber’s disappearance and death.
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