FAIRFIELD, IOWA: Willard Miller, the 17-year-old boy who was charged for beating his 66-year-old Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber to death in 2021, was recently sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years. During the sentencing hearing, Graber's brother-in-law Tom held Miller accountable for not only robbing her of her life but also playing a role in "hastening" her husband Paul's premature death.
Miller's sentencing came just a day after Paul's funeral, who reportedly had cancer but died due to delayed treatment after being depressed over Graber's murder. While the teenager apologized for his actions and offered his condolences for Paul's death, several of Graber's family members held him responsible for the both the deaths, the Daily Mail reported.
What is known about Paul Graber?
Paul was the ex-husband of slain Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Graber, who was beaten to death by Miller and his accomplice Jeremy Goodale, both of whom pled guilty to first-degree murder charges. The former recently died after a battle with cancer but reportedly had a premature death due to delayed treatment due to depression over the his ex-wife's brutal and sudden death.
His family members believed that Graber would have helped Paul fight cancer if she were still alive. In the wake of her death, it was revealed that she remained close to her ex-husband despite their divorce. He was also the first person who filed Graber's missing report. "To know Nohema was to love her—she was the kind of person every community longs to have in its midst and we were blessed to have her in our lives," Paul told The Sun after ex-former wife's death.
During Miller's sentencing, Paul's brother, Tom, announced his death in his testimony, saying, "Not only was Nohema robbed of thirty-some of the best years of her life, her murder deprived Paul Graber of the love of his life, and certainly hastened Paul's own premature death." His second brother, Jim, also accused Miller of causing both Nohema and Paul's death.
"Nohema had a good life, but she had a lot of good life left. Her death definitely sped up Paul's demise and it affected their immediate family greatly," he said. Paul's funeral took place a day before Miller's sentencing. The couple shared three children together. Tom said their son, Christian, underwent a dialysis due to severe diabetes in 2021, and "things were lastly looking up" for the family after he received a kidney transplant.
Unfortunately, Nohema was killed that same year, with Paul's death taking place within two years of her demise. The couple leave behind their children as well as their relatives, immediate family members and loved ones.
'I'm sorry to hear about Paul Graber'
After Judge Shawn Showers handed down Miller's sentence, the latter spoke in court addressing the Graber family for their consecutive loss. "I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family. I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family. From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sorry to hear about Paul Graber," Miller said.
He also apologized for the "ripple effect" he caused after killing Nohema, that impacted the community and her church. While Paul's son and daughter previously said they forgave the teenagers for their crime, Jim dubbed him a "cold-blooded, premeditated murderer" in court and said that even though it was Miller's first attempted apology, he does not believe it "because he showed no sign of remorse whatsoever."
Christian also said that while he believed Miller had the "potential" to "become a decent person" he could not "see it at the moment." After Miller's sentencing, Judge Showers said that if Iowa offered an option of life in prison without parole he would have given it "serious consideration" due to the severity of his crime.
