FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) – “The defendant shall be sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 25 years,” said Judge Shawn Showers. That is the sentence the judge handed down to Jeremy Goodale of Fairfield Wednesday afternoon. He and Willard Miller both pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of their Spanish teacher. Miller already received a life sentence, which he is appealing. Miller and Goodale were 16 in November 2021 when they followed their teacher, Nohema Graber, while she was on a walk in a Fairfield park. They beat her to death with a baseball bat because of a bad grade. Goodale spoke in court Wednesday, addressing the friends and family members of Graber. He apologized for his actions, but said he understood his words would never be enough. Miller’s sentence is life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 35 years. Now Goodale is facing a similar sentence but has the chance at parole after 25 years.
BENTON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – A case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in Benton County. The affected site is a backyard mixed species flock. Multiple cases have been confirmed in the state, including in Buena Vista, Hamilton, Kossuth, Pochahontas, and Guthrie Counties. Officials say poultry products are still safe to eat. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F. Officials say the outbreak is less severe this season than the last.
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (KCRG) – A Clear Lake man sustained life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash Tuesday. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the 29-year-old was driving a motorcycle east on Hwy 18 in Clear Lake when he collided with a pickup truck that was turning southbound in the intersection at 24th Street and Hwy 18. Authorities said the motorcyclist failed to stop at a red light in the intersection at 24th Street, colliding with the truck. He was ejected from the motorcycle, and was taken to MercyOne North Iowa for treatment. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
OMAHA, Nebraska (WOWT/KCRG) – A northwest Iowa man is accused of trying to open the cabin doors of a plane before takeoff last Thursday in Omaha. Court documents say Wesley Orban, of Ireton, Iowa, was on a flight at Eppley Airfield about to leave for New York. A passenger reported hearing him say “God is Real” and speaking of demons before he ran to the front of the plane and started pounding on the cabin doors. Three flight attendants say they heard him yelling “open the doors” before he tried to open the cabin doors. A flight attendant and other passengers subdued him. After being held down, several passengers said they overheard Orban saying, “I’m embarrassed, I don’t know why I did that.” The captain suspended the flight, returning to the gate, where police took Orban into custody. Orban is charged with interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants.
