Former principal accused of hiring hitman to kill pregnant girlfriend
ST. LOUIS -- A former school principal is accused of hiring a hit man to kill his pregnant girlfriend, a teacher, reports CBS affiliate KMOV.
Cornelius Green is charged with two counts first-degree murder. He allegedly hired a childhood friend, Phillip J. Cutler, of Oklahoma, to kill Jocelyn Peters, 30.
“What we have here is an apparent murder for hire,” said Jennifer Joyce, St. Louis Circuit Attorney. “What we do know is Mr. Green did send Mr. Cutler through the mail $2,500 cash.”
Peters was found fatally shot in her Central West End apartment in late March. She was seven months pregnant at the time of the shooting. Peters was a teacher at Mann Elementary in St. Louis City.
Court records reportedly say Cutler and Green were childhood friends and Cutler was visiting St. Louis the week of Peters’ murder. The documents also reportedly reveal that Cutler’s cell phone was near Peters’ apartment the night of the murder.
Green is the former principal at Carr Lane Visual Performing Arts School. KMOV reports that he was arrested on theft charges in August for allegedly stealing $2,700 from a student dance group at the school where he used to be a principal.
Green faces two counts of first-degree murder because the Peters’ fetus was seven months old.
Green is being held on $3 million cash bond. Green’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said Green intends to plead not guilty.