ST. LOUIS — A federal grand jury has indicted a former St. Louis middle school principal and another man, alleging a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the shooting death of a teacher and her unborn child.
The U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis on Thursday announced the indictments of the former principal, Cornelius M. Green, and Phillip J. Cutler. Both are charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and murder-for-hire in connection with the death of Jocelyn Peters. She was seven months pregnant when she was killed in March 2016.
Both men are already charged in state court, and prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if the men are convicted. They are currently being held in jail while awaiting trial.
The federal indictment alleges that Green, who was married to someone else, had a romantic relationship with Peters and was the father of the unborn child. He is accused of paying Cutler $2,500 for the killing.
The indictment said Cutler entered Peters' Central West End apartment, found her in bed and shot her.
Green was a principal at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts School, which is in the St. Louis Public Schools district.
5 On Your Side contributed to this report.
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