St. Louis principal stole $2,500 from school fundraiser to have woman and unborn child slaughtered in murder-for-hire horror

A former middle school principal has been sentenced for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that led to the deaths of a schoolteacher and their unborn child.

Cornelius M Green, 42, had fathered a child with 30-year-old Jocelyn Peters. Green stole money from a fundraiser for the school dance, to pay a longtime friend $2,500 to kill Peters and their unborn son , Micah in 2016.

Green was romantically involved with Jocelyn Peters, a teacher at Mann Elementary, despite being still legally married and seeing other women. During their relationship, Peters had miscarried once and terminated another pregnancy at Green’s request. However, she refused to terminate her pregnancy with Micah. She was 27 weeks pregnant when she was murdered .

• Ohio mother and girlfriend arrested after body of 8-year-old found hidden in attic
• Disturbing photo of NFL star's missing son after grandma claims 'he said his dad did it'

According to the US Attorney's Office, Green attempted to kill Peters once before, by crushing up pills and attempting to poison her. After the failed attempt, he enlisted the help of his friend and co-defendant, 46-year-old Phillip J Cutler, the Justice Department said.

Cutler traveled from Oklahoma to Chicago , unlawfully entered Peters’ apartment and shot her in the eye. According to plea agreement filings, she was sitting on her bed, working on baby shower invitations. He used a potato to silence the gunshot, which Green had strategically purchased on a recent shopping trip with Peters.

• Pennsylvania toddler's 'tragic death' caused by 'unofficial stepfather' punching him
• Pennsylvania couple 'cut newborn umbilical cord with knife' before throwing infant out second story window
• Boy, 5, brutally murdered by Detroit drug dealer worried he was 'going to snitch'

After the murder was complete, Green traveled from St Louis to Chicago and called 911 from Peters’ apartment, providing false statements to the police. On his return to St Louis, he asked Peters' mother, Lacey Peters, to "check on her," according to the sentencing memo filed by prosecutors.

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here .

Assistant US Attorney Tiffany Becker said during Tuesday’s hearing: “The depravity of asking a mother to go find Jocelyn’s body, knowing she was dead, can’t be matched.”

Both Green and Cutler were found guilty and received two consecutive life terms in prison each, according to the US Attorney's Office.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .