Students are returning to school in the Fairfield community district Monday following the murder of Fairfield High School teacher Nohema Graber last week.
School was cancelled for the entire district last Friday following the discovery of Graber’s body at Chautauqua City Park and the arrest of Fairfield students Jeremy Everett Goodale and Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, both 16 years old. Both are charged with first-degree murder, a class A felony, and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, a class C felony. They’re scheduled to appear in court this Friday.
Fairfield Superintendent Dr. Laurie Noll released a video statement on social media Sunday evening, in which she stated the safety of their students is a top priority, “The district continually reflects on safety measures such as our secure entryways and the standard response protocol we have in place. We will continue to be diligent in this and invest in forming trusting relationships with and among students in our schools. We know that you are concerned. There is no viable threat to students. All rumors or threats have been investigated by law enforcement and they stated that our schools are safe.”
Court documents show as part of the investigation into Graber’s death law enforcement interviewed an associate of Goodale and Miller. The associate provided law enforcement social media exchanges which included the motive for killing Graber, planning and execution of the means to kill her, as well as deliberate attempts to conceal the crime.
Hundreds gathered in front of the high school Friday night for a candlelight vigil to honor Graber, who had taught for nine years at the school. Among the current and former students, friends, and religious leaders who spoke about Graber, speech and English teacher Fred Hucke sang a song he wrote that morning titled, “A Light for Nohema (We Go On).” Hucke asked those who had been taught by Graber to raise their hands, and whether they remembered such events she organized like the Christmas variety show, “Now you people have stories to tell, you have joyful stories to tell, and those are things that you will never forget that she gave you. So much bad has happened recently that I want you to go and pick up what is good because she left us so much good.”
Hucke shared that a memorial shrine for Graber has taken shape at the Fairfield Public Library, and he encourages those struggling with her loss to visit and contribute to the memorial if they so desire. A GoFundMe online campaign has also raised over $38,000 to support Graber’s family and funeral expenses.
