Update on a principal who stole school cash to kill pregnant girlfriend
Former principal sentenced in murder-for-hire plot in death of pregnant teacher girlfriend
A married, former Missouri principal learned his fate after admitting he hired his friend to kill his pregnant girlfriend in 2016 with money stolen from a St. Louis middle school.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced in a press release that former principal Cornelius Green was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire and sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.
A middle school principal “desperate to get out of the relationship and escape his responsibility” of his unborn child carried out an “unthinkable plan,” federal prosecutors said.
Green pleaded guilty to charges in the deaths of Jocelyn Peters, 30, a third-grade teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School in St. Louis, and her unborn child, Micah Leigh, in 2016. Peters was 7 months pregnant at the time.
Phillip J. Cutler, 46, of Muskogee, Okla., the man Green hired to kill Peters, was found guilty of the same charges. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison last week.
According to the press release:
Ms. Peters had miscarried before and terminated one pregnancy at Green’s urging, but was determined to keep Micah Lee, according to a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors.
But she mistakenly believed she was the only woman in Green’s life, and that Green was divorcing his wife.
Peters did not know about the multiple other women, including at least one who was also being duped by Green into believing they were building a life together.
She also did not know that Green was researching ways to secretly poison Micah Lee by crushing pills and hiding them in oatmeal or yogurt.
When that plan failed, Green contacted his longtime friend, Cutler, and stole money from the dance team’s fundraiser at the school where he worked, Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, to pay Cutler.
Authorities said that Green sent Cutler a UPS package in March 2021 with $2,500 to pay for the horrific murder of his pregnant girlfriend.
Green took a train trip to Chicago to establish his alibi for the murder, giving Cutler the keys to his Kia Optima and Peters’ apartment.
After Cutler confirmed that Jocelyn and the baby had been killed, Green bought a return train ticket.
“The devastating actions of one depraved individual continue to impact the victims’ family, colleagues, friends and young students,” said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “We are grateful for the resources provided by the U.S. Attorney’s office to help bring closure to this heartbreaking case.”
“All she ever did was love him,” her mother, Lacey Peters said, adding, “and she loved that baby so much.”
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