Watch: Lawyers for Fairfield teens accused in Spanish teacher's death to argue for pre-trial release
A southern Iowa judge will hear arguments Tuesday that a pair of Fairfield teens accused of murdering a high school Spanish teacher earlier this month should be granted pre-trial release — without bail — to the supervision of their parents.
Fairfield police arrested Jeremy Everett Goodale and Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, both 16, on Nov. 4 after a search party found the body of missing 66-year-old Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber the previous day.
Each is charged with counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony in Graber's death.
More: What we know about the death of Spanish teacher Nohema Graber in Fairfield, Iowa
Goodale and Miller's bail review hearings before District Court Judge Joel Yates, who is presiding over the cases, are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, respectively.
Watch Jeremy Goodale's bond review hearing here:
What is known about Nohema Graber's death
Graber was last seen alive by coworkers after school Nov. 2. The next morning, she was reported missing and police began an immediate search, according to records.
A search party found her in Chautauqua Park, where she was known to take daily walks after school.
She was found hidden beneath a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties, according to criminal complaints filed against Miller and Goodale.
Police arrested Miller and Goodale on Nov. 4 after an "associate" allegedly provided police with evidence of social media communications implicating the pair.
More: 'She had a love for life': Fairfield honors Nohema Graber with prayer, vigil service
Born in Mexico, Graber moved to Fairfield in the early 1990s with her family. Her then-husband had grown up in Fairfield, and the couple sought to settle in the U.S. after having the first two of their three children.
Graber began teaching Spanish in 2006 after pursuing a teaching degree late in life, first in Ottumwa and later at Fairfield High School.
She was considered one of the pillars of Fairfield's small-but-growing Hispanic community, but prosecutors have said they believe the crime was not related to her ethnicity.
The teens were students at Fairfield High School, although prosecutors have not said whether or not they were students in Graber's classes.
The teens' arguments for being released to their parents
In court papers earlier this month, Miller's attorney claimed he is indigent and asked that the cash bail amount of $1 million be removed or "significantly reduced," and that he be released to the supervision of his parents.
Lawyer Christine Branstad, who acknowledged that Miller's parents have funds, said Miller would agree to wear a GPS monitoring device and to 24-hour supervision by his family.
In papers filed Tuesday, prosecutors said Miller is a risk to the community based on his "numerous statements indicating his involvement which include his state of mind at, before, and after the commission of the crime."
"Any promise of home supervision is particularly insufficient since this crime occurred while the defendant was residing at home presumably under the supervision of his parents and the support of his family," wrote Special Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown.
Goodale's attorneys filed similar documents in which they said he lacked the resources to post the $1 million bail and that he would appear for trial if released on his own recognizance or placed on pre-trial supervision.
Register reporter Daniel Lathrop contributed to this report.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at @DMRMorris.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Teens accused of killing Fairfield teacher argue for pre-trial release
