ST. LOUIS – The grim halls of justice were once again震慑 by a chilling sentence as former St. Louis middle school principal Cornelius M. Green, 42, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for hiring a hit on his pregnant schoolteacher girlfriend, Jocelyn Peters.
In a case that has shocked the community, Green pleaded guilty in February to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire. The 30-year-old Peters, who was eight months pregnant with Green’s child, was killed along with her unborn child, Micah Leigh, in 2016.
Phillip J. Cutler, 46, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, who was hired by Green to carry out the heinous act, was also found guilty of the same charges and sentenced last week to two consecutive life terms. The evidence against him was overwhelming, including phone calls between the two plotting the murder.
During the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Peters’ mother, Lacey Peters, addressed the court, describing Green as her daughter’s protector who became her executioner. “All she ever did was love him,” Lacey said. “And she loved that baby so much.”
Peters’ cousin, Dedra Peters, spoke of the light Jocelyn brought into every room. “This trauma will follow them for the rest of their lives,” she added.
According to a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors, Peters had miscarried before and terminated one pregnancy at Green’s urging but was determined to keep Micah Leigh. Unbeknownst to her, Green was involved with multiple women, including at least one who was also deceived into believing they were building a future together. Green planned to poison his child by crushing pills and hiding them in oatmeal or yogurt before turning to Cutler.
“He literally stole from children to pay for killing his own child,” said Dr. Nicole Conaway, the principal of Mann Elementary when Peters worked there. The impact on the students was profound. “I will never forget the pain in their eyes,” she said.
The case took a bizarre turn when Green left the keys to his car and apartment with Cutler, establishing an alibi for the murder. On March 24, Cutler entered Peters’ apartment using the keys and shot her in the eye with a potato as a silencer. After confirming that Jocelyn and the baby were dead, Green attempted to involve Peters’ mother before going to report the death himself. He lied to police and directed others to conceal evidence.
“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 justice served in this case.”
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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