ST. LOUIS, Mo.- A former St. Louis principal will serve two consecutive life terms for the murder of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child.
Peters, who was 27 weeks pregnant with Cornelius Green’s kid, died on March 24, 2016. Peters taught at Mann Elementary in St. Louis City, and Green was the principal of Carr Lane Visual Performing Arts School.
According to prosecutors, on February 29, 2016, Green texted his childhood buddy Phillip Cutler, inviting him to St. Louis. He sent him $2,500 on March 7, of that year. Green stole the funds from Carr Lane to compensate Cutler for the murder.
On March 21, Cutler reportedly drove from Oklahoma to St. Louis and slept at Green’s house. The next day, Green took the Amtrak train to Chicago, leaving Cutler with the keys to his car and Peters’ apartment. Following the murder, Green returned to St. Louis. He rushed to Peters’ apartment and called 911 to say she had been shot.
Cutler was found guilty in March 2024 of conspiracy to murder for hire and murder for hire. He was condemned to life in prison.
Green pleaded guilty to both conspiracy to conduct murder for pay and murder for hire in February 2024. In the plea deal, the prosecution and defense agreed that he should be sentenced to life in prison on both counts.
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At Tuesday’s sentence, Peters’ mother, cousin, and the principal of the school where she taught all gave remarks. Green’s defense attorney stated that his client had expressed regret and wished to make atonement for his misdeeds. Green also sent a quick apology to the Peters family.
In court, Peters’ family recounted how Jocelyn seemed to bring joy and light to her friends, family, and students. They did, however, share stories of pain and anguish caused by Green’s acts.
Sharon Peters, Jocelyn’s cousin, stated during the trial that she believed her family would never fully recover from the loss. She and others had recognized that something was wrong between Peters and Green, and they believed that Green had clearly demonstrated a history of abuse and manipulation in their relationship.
She stated that sharing Jocelyn’s experience would encourage others to come out against abuse.
According to firstalert4 “If a family member is experiencing things you feel are overwhelming for a relationship, encourage them to come out of that relationship,” she told me. Peters’ former coworkers, such as Dr. Nicole Conaway, also contacted White, claiming that Peters’ murder had affected students and professors. They also wanted to honor her life and legacy as a teacher.
“She lit up every room she walked into and people must remember her,” Conaway told me.
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