Midwest
Ex-principal sentenced in murder-for-hire plot in death of pregnant teacher girlfriend
A 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.
Federal prosecutors announced in a press release that Cornelius Green, a former principal at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, 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.
Green’s two consecutive life sentences mean that he will have to wait at least 50 years to be considered for parole.
His sentence came after authorities said that he hired his friend, 46-year-old Phillip Cutler, to kill his girlfriend, 30-year-old Jocelyn Peters, and her unborn child, Micah Leigh.
Cutler was charged with the same sentence this week.
FORMER MISSOURI SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ADMITS HIRING HITMAN TO KILL PREGNANT TEACHER
Cornelius Green, formerly a principal at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, stole money intended for a field trip to pay Phillip Cutler $2,500 dollars to kill his pregnant girlfriend, prosecutors say. (St. Louis City Justice Center)
Green, who was married at the time, previously admitted to hiring his friend to kill Peters, who was seven months pregnant at the time.
Federal prosecutors said that Green and Cutler planned the murder in a series of phone calls.
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 had Peters buy potatoes days before her own murder, prosecutors said. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri)
The former principal admitted he used stolen funds stolen from the school to finance the murder-for-hire.
“He literally stole from children to pay for killing his own child,” said Dr. Nicole Conaway, the principal of Mann Elementary.
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Authorities said that Green took a train trip to Chicago to establish his alibi for the murder and gave Cutler the keys to his Kia Optima and Peters’ apartment.
Cutler arrived at Peters’ apartment and let himself inside with the keys provided and shot her, authorities said. Prosecutors said that he used a potato as a silencer.
Peters was sitting at the kitchen table and preparing baby shower invitations at the time of her murder — which was funded by her boyfriend.
Third grade teacher Jocelyn Peters was remembered as “someone who cared deeply about children,” People reported. She was shot dead as she slept in the early hours of March 24. (Jocelyn Peters on Facebook)
After Cutler confirmed that Jocelyn and the baby had been killed, Green bought a return train ticket.
When Green got back to St. Louis, he first attempted to get Peters’ mother to “check on her,” knowing what she would find, authorities said.
“The depravity of asking a mother to go find Jocelyn’s body, knowing she was dead, can’t be matched,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker said during Tuesday’s hearing.
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Authorities said that Green eventually went to Peters’ apartment and feigned surprise when he called 911 to report her death.
“He pretended he had no knowledge of the circumstances leading to the deaths, lying to police and getting Cutler and others to conceal evidence,” federal prosecutors said. “Cutler was detained for questioning that same night, after he attempted to retrieve the Kia Optima from the crime scene at Green’s direction.”
Phillip Cutler was Green’s childhood friend. Prosecutors say Green gave him keys to Peters’ apartment, where he shot her. (St. Louis City Justice Center)
In February, Green and Cutler pleaded guilty in the murder of Peters and her baby.
Legally, Green was married to another woman at the time of the killing and involved in several other romantic relationships, authorities said.
With her relationship with Green, Peters had miscarried before and terminated one pregnancy at his urging.
Prosecutors also alleged that Green was “researching ways to secretly poison” her by crushing pills and hiding them in oatmeal or yogurt.
When the poisoning failed, Green turned to his friend to plot the death of his girlfriend and child, police said.
Peters’ cousin, Dedra Peters, said that her death left the “family empty and heartbroken.”
“Jocelyn had a light around her at all times,” she said. “[Jocelyn] touched the heart of anyone she came in contact with.”
Peters’ mother, Lacey Peters, said Green was supposed to be Peters’ protector but became her executioner.
“All she ever did was love him,” Lacey Peters said, adding, “and she loved that baby so much.”
Read the full article from Here
Missouri
Missing 13-Year-Old Rural Salem Girl Found Unharmed in Missouri, Investigation Is Continuing (updated 11:45 pm Friday)
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says missing 13-year-old Hope L. Ballard of rural Salem has been found safe in Branson, Missouri.
Detectives from the sheriff’s department will question a person of interest in the case to learn more about what happened.
Cripps says they used technology, with assistance from other police agencies, to determine where the girl may be located. Ballard had left her home in the early morning hours of April 30th and is believed to have departed voluntarily. The sheriff’s department was notified at 8:20 Friday night that she had been found safe.
Ballard was considered an Endangered Missing Person, and at the request of the sheriff’s department, the State of Illinois issued an Endangered Missing Person Advisory.
The girl’s family is now on their way to Missouri to pick her up.
Cripps is thanking all law enforcement agencies involved for their help.
Photo of 13-year-old Hope Ballard, who has been reported missing.
The Nebraska softball team (40-6, 20-1) will hit the road and face the Penn State Nittany Lions (32-17, 11-10) this week to wrap up the final regular-season series of the season. The Huskers are ranked No. 3 in the NFCA Poll. NU is also No. 2 by Softball America, USA Softball and D1 Softball.
The Huskers are led by two-way star Jordy Frahm and Hannah Camenzind. Frahm is hitting .423 at the plate on the season with a 15-4 record with nine saves in the pitcher’s circle. Camenzind is hitting .408 and has a record in the pitcher’s circle of 5-0 with a 1.40 ERA.
The Big Ten Tournament will take place May 6-9 in College Park, MD.
Here’s how to watch the Nebraska-Penn State doubleheaders today, including time, TV schedule, and streaming information:
What channel is Nebraska-Penn State on today?
TV Channel: Game one: N/A Game two: BTN
Livestream: Game one: B1G+ Game two: Fubo (free trial)
Nebraska vs Penn State will wrap up the final regular-season series of the year on the Big Ten Network on Saturday afternoon. Streaming options for the game include B1G+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Nebraska-Penn State Softball time today
- Date: Saturday, May 2 (doubleheaders)
- Start time: 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CT
The Nebraska-Penn State softball doubleheader starts at 10 a.m. CT and 1:30 p.m. CT from Nittany Lion Softball Park in State College, PA.
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Submitted Photo
U.S. Air Force veteran Jim Clifford of Minot is shown with the Lincoln Memorial in the background during his trip to the Washington, D.C., area with the Western North Dakota Honor Flight.
U.S. Air Force veteran Jim Clifford of Minot said his recent trip to the Washington, D.C., area with the Western North Dakota Honor Flight was a memorable one.
“The honor is so great,” he said.
Clifford was among more than 100 veterans on the trip from Bismarck, Sunday, April 26, and returning, Monday, April 27. Besides Clifford, several other Minot veterans made the trip.
He said he was very impressed with the N.D. Western Honor Flight organization and the coordination of the trip.
“The coordination is unbelievable. We had a police escort from our hotel room in Arlington, Virginia, to the Capitol. It was right at rush hour,” he said. He said the group of veterans traveled in four buses.
When they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, people with signs were standing to the side to greet them.
“It was just unbelievable,” he said. When they left the Bismarck airport, he said, the lobby there was full of people. He said Bismarck comes out really well for the veterans going on these trips and it was the same when the Western N.D. Honor Flight was out of Minot for the first time in April 2025.
Clifford was active duty in the Air Force from 1971-75. For 10 months he served in Taiwan but his Air Force time before and after was at Minot Air Force Base with the fire department.
“My first fire chief was Ken Gillespie,” he said. Gillespie’s son, Ken Gillespie aka Dizzy the Clown, is well known in the Minot area.
After discharge from the Air Force, Clifford continued civil service with the base fire department from 1976-2008, retiring as fire chief.
During the Honor Flight trip, Clifford said, they visited many highlights — veterans’ memorials including World War II, Korean and Vietnam, the U.S. Capitol and the Dulles Air and Space Museum. Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, R-ND, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum met with the group during their visit.
The veterans also visited Arlington National Cemetery.
“We got to see the Changing of the Guard and see them laying two wreaths,” he said.
At a banquet held that night for the veterans at their hotel, the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, he said the sentinel, the lead person for the Changing of the Guard, spoke to them.
“It was a very worthwhile trip. If you’re a veteran, you need to sign up for it,” Clifford said of the Honor Flight.
The Western North Dakota Honor Flight will be the grand marshal of the 2026 North Dakota State Parade Saturday, July 18, in Minot.
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