UPDATE: Both Iowa Teens Accused of Killing Teacher To Be Tried As Adults

UPDATE:

In March of this year, it was shared with the public that Jeremy Goodale and Willard Miller of Fairfield, Iowa -- who were both 16 at the time -- were being charged with killing their Spanish teacher with a baseball bat.

The two alleged murderers allegedly followed her on a walk through the park, struck her in the head with the bat, and disposed of her body in the woods by covering her with a tarp.

Iowa law says that juveniles 16 and older are automatically charged as adults for crimes that are forcible felonies — like first-degree murder.

As the judicial process began, the defense team for both teens requested to have the pair tried as juveniles. As of a few minutes ago, it was shared that both of the young men will be tried as adults in court.

Here's what Judge Shawn Showers said in regards to the ruling, according to WHO13:

The juvenile court simply has too little time to rehabilitate the Defendant for a crime of such magnitude and of the nature described in the minutes of testimony.

The Des Moines-based news station adds this:

"Miller’s trial has been scheduled for November 1, 2022. A location has not yet been determined. The defendants are being tried separately. Goodale’s trial has been set for August 23."

ORIGINAL:

In November of last year, a Spanish teacher in the Fairfield, Iowa school district was found dead in a park near the high school where she taught. Two of her students have been charged with the murder.

Jeremy Goodale and Willard Miller, both 16, are the two high schoolers charged with murder in the death of teacher 66-year-old Nohema Graber. They're also being charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

According to KETV, "Court documents show Graber suffered from an injury to her head, and her body was found under a tarp. A police report states the suspects had items with blood on them."

Until today, it wasn't shared as to what the M.O. of the students was. As told by the Associated Press, the teenagers used a baseball bat in the murder of their teacher.

AP added that "Her body was found Nov. 3, hidden under a tarp, a wheelbarrow, and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines. She had been reported missing earlier that day."

Police were aided in their investigation by students who shared social media messages with them. One of the alleged killers described "how they followed the woman, carried out the attack and hid her body."

Due to the circumstances of the case, the two teens are being charged as adults. Defense lawyers will seek to have the students tried in the juvenile system rather than as adults tomorrow, Thursday, March 24. A judge denied their requests to exclude the media from the hearing.