Murder trial for Fairfield teen to be moved elsewhere in Iowa

One of two teenagers charged with murdering their Fairfield High School Spanish-language teacher last year will face trial somewhere else in the state, a Jefferson County judge has ruled.

Lawyers for Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 16, filed a request last month for a change of venue. Prosecutors did not object.

Tuesday, Judge Shawn Showers ruled “that there is a substantial likelihood a fair and impartial trial cannot be preserved with a jury selected from Jefferson County” and set a deadline of Monday to pick a new location for the murder trial.

The other defendant charged in the murder, Jeremy Goodale, 17, has not made a request for a change of venue, according to online court records.

The teens are charged with killing teacher Nohema Graber, 66, last November in a park near the school where she often walked. Authorities have not revealed a motive, but say Goodale and Miller planned the attack on social media and used a baseball bat to kill her and then tried to hide her body.