Former Principal Receives Life Sentence In Murder-For-Hire Death Of Pregnant Teacher

Cornelius Green, a former St. Louis middle school principal, has pled guilty to federal murder-for-hire charges in relation to a teacher and her unborn child.

Documents show that Green pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire. The prosecution and defense concurred that Green should receive a life sentence.

Green had been a principal at Carr Lane Visual Performing Arts school as Jocelyn Peters was a teacher at Mann Elementary in St. Louis City. Records show that Green was married; however, he was romantically involved with other women, including Peters. When she died, Peters was 27 weeks pregnant with Green’s child.

On February 29, 2016, Green messaged a friend, Phillip Cutler, requesting that he come to St. Louis. On March 7 of that year, he gave Cutler $2,500. Green had stolen the money from Carr Lane to hire Cutler for the murder.

On March 21, Cutler went to St. Louis from Oklahoma and stayed at Green’s residence. Green went to Chicago the following day and gave Cutler the keys to his vehicle and keys to Peters’s apartment.

On March 24, Peters was killed. Her unborn baby died, as well.

The next day, Green went back to St. Louis. He had gone to Peters’s apartment, called authorities, and told them she had gotten shot.

Cutler was also indicted for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire.

His trial is expected to begin on March 11.