An Iowa teenager was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole on Thursday after pleading guilty to killing his Spanish teacher over a failing grade.
The 17-year-old, Williard Miller, was only 16 when his 66-year-old High School teacher died last November 3, 2021.
Iowa Teen Faces Life Sentence for Murdering Spanish Teacher
As per a report by USA Today, one out of two Iowa teens who pleaded guilty to killing their Spanish teacher faces a life sentence in prison. However, he still has a possibility of parole after 35 years.
The judge sentences Miller after admitting to beating Nohema Graber, 66, to death with a baseball bat in November 2021. The latter was a beloved teacher at Fairfield High School, where Miller was a student.
He and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, lured Graber to a park after school and horrifyingly attacked her with the bat. After the fatal bludgeoning, they hid her body under a tarp and rocks.
In a police interview, as BBC reports, Miller expressed his frustrations over Graber's method of teaching the Spanish language. He also disclosed that he got a poor grade in her class, which ruined his Grade Point Average, a point system crucially matters for US college and scholarship applications.
Judge Rejects Argument That He Was Still Too Young
According to BBC, Judge Shawn Showers reportedly rejected the defense's argument, saying that Miller, who was only 16, was so young when he murdered his teacher to grasp the seriousness of his action.
The judge responded straightforwardly: "Evil does not have a birthday." Shower further says, "Your horrific actions led to the death of Nohema Graber, and her family will never be able to fill that void."
His teacher's family members argued to the court that they did not feel that Miller was sincere in his resourcefulness. It is worth noting that Graber's husband, Paul, passed away last month or in June, to be exact. Her relatives say that her husband's untimely passing was due to the tragic murder of his wife.
NBC News reports that Miller apologized to the community before his sentence while addressing the relative of his Spanish teacher. He says, "I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you." He also expressed regrets for the "devastation [he has] caused" to the loved ones of Graber. The teenager also admitted his actions were "wrong," adding that he was "careless" and "ignorant."
