An Iowa Tragedy Update

 On November 6, 2021, I blogged the following post:  Today, one year later, where are we?

I am in mourning today, for a town in Iowa I haven't been to in almost twenty years, for a high school that three of my first cousins went to, and for a teacher I never met.

Last night, we turned on the 6:30 pm national news and one of the headlines was about a murder in Iowa.  When I saw a picture of a park entrance I knew exactly where it was.

My heart sank.  I used to have family in that city of about 9,700 people.   I lived there for a brief time and had walked in that park with my uncle several times, back in the 1970's.

A 66 year old Spanish teacher at the high school in Fairfield, Iowa, had been reported as missing on Wednesday morning. She had taught in that school since 2012.   Her body was then found, later that day, in a local park where she loved to walk in the afternoons.  Now, two high school students, both 16, are being charged in her death.

Apparently, they had discussed her murder on social media.  They are being charged as adults.

A couple posts I've written about Fairfield.

My introduction to Fairfield

Why I Didn't Become a Librarian 

The Fairfield I remember was - how can I put it? Different?  Original?   I don't remember it as a place where you had to be afraid.

People think of Iowa as a flat place with miles of cornfields and nothing much.  That's far from the truth, although there is lots of corn grown in Iowa and some parts are flat.  But there are also a lot of surprises in Iowa.  And, yes, hidden gems.

In our pandemic times, there is an upsurge of violence, including an upsurge of violence against teachers.  So much doesn't get reported, but this tragedy made the national news.  

Last night, there was a vigil for this teacher, with hundreds attending.

I can't bring myself to even start to understand.

A few nights ago, I turned on a national news program on a cable channel and one of the headlines was along the lines of "Possible motive in Iowa murder". I had a feeling (correct, as it turned out) that this Fairfield murder was what they were talking about.

So, the possible motive for the death of a beloved high school teacher was:  bad grades?

Time flies, but justice doesn't. Not in our modern times. The alleged murderers (who were both 16 at the time) haven't been tried yet.  The trial of one of the teens was supposed to have begun on December 5 but it has been pushed back.  Right now, the new date isn't known but it is interesting that the trial is not going to be in the county where the murder took place, but, rather, about 100 miles away.

The other trial is set to begin next March.

Speedy justice, in these times, seems impossible.

I can hope for the trials soon.  The two teens should get a fair trial.  It shouldn't take years for a verdict.  For the sake of the family and friends of the late teacher, the students at the school, and, yes, the accused, it shouldn't go on for year after year.

One can only hope.