A 16-year-old from Iowa has been sentenced to life in prison after beating his Spanish teacher to death with a baseball bat with the help of an accomplice.
Willard Noble Chaiden Miller was sentenced last Thursday, according to CNN. Like his accomplice, Jeremy Goodale, he pleaded guilty to first degree murder. They murdered their 66-year-old teacher, Nohema Graber, in a park on November 3, 2021.
During an interview with the police, Miller expressed his frustration with Nohema Graber’s teaching method. This negatively affected his GPA, which he believed would have motivated him to kill his victim, reported the DailyMail.
Miller was sentenced after a seven-hour hearing, according to Jefferson County District Attorney Chauncey Molding.
“I believe the sentence was fair and appropriate in the horrific circumstances of this case and I believe justice has been served,” Chauncey Molding said in an email. I believe that sentiment is shared by the Graber family and the Fairfield community.”
The teenager will be eligible for parole after 35 years, according to court documents.
For his part, his accomplice in this case, Jeremy Goodale, will know his sentence on August 23. He testified against Miller in court proceedings, after reaching an agreement with prosecutors.