“Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook”: 48 Hours Reports March 14 2026
CBS’s long running true crime program 48 Hours examines the disturbing murder of a St. Louis teacher in the episode “Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook,” airing Saturday, March 14 at 10:00 PM ET/PT. Reported by correspondent Anne-Marie Green, the broadcast explores the killing of Jocelyn Peters, a 30-year-old elementary school teacher whose death in 2016 shocked her community and revealed a calculated murder-for-hire plot.
What began as a confusing homicide investigation eventually exposed a scheme orchestrated by a trusted figure in Peters’ life. Strange evidence at the scene, including potato fragments and unusual behavior from a suspect during questioning, initially puzzled detectives. Over time, investigators uncovered a conspiracy that involved deception, betrayal, and careful planning that led to the death of Peters and her unborn child.
Who Was Jocelyn Peters
Jocelyn Peters was a third-grade teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri. Friends, colleagues, and family described her as a dedicated educator who cared deeply about the children in her classroom. Peters had built a reputation as a patient and enthusiastic teacher who invested time and attention in her students’ growth. Those who knew her often spoke about her warm personality and her commitment to education.
Her family remembered her as someone who brought joy to those around her. Peters maintained close relationships with her mother, Lacey Peters, and other relatives who later spoke publicly about the impact of her loss. At the time of her death in March 2016, Peters was seven months pregnant with a baby she planned to name Micah Leigh. The child represented a hopeful future that she had embraced despite personal challenges.
A Relationship Built on Deception
The father of Peters’ unborn child was Cornelius M. Green, a married middle school principal who worked at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School in St. Louis. Green and Peters had been involved in a romantic relationship, and Peters believed that Green was planning to leave his wife so they could build a life together. According to investigators, that belief was based on false promises.
Authorities later discovered that Green had been involved with multiple women at the same time. Peters did not know about these relationships, nor did she know the extent of Green’s deception. Court records showed that Green had previously pressured Peters to terminate a pregnancy. When Peters decided to keep the baby she was carrying in 2016, the situation created pressure that Green was unwilling to accept.
Evidence later revealed that Green began searching for ways to end the pregnancy without Peters’ knowledge. Investigators found that he researched methods of secretly poisoning the unborn child by crushing pills and hiding them in food such as oatmeal or yogurt. When those plans failed, prosecutors said Green turned to a far more extreme solution.
The Murder-for-Hire Plot
Green contacted Phillip J. Cutler, a longtime friend from Muskogee, Oklahoma, and arranged for him to kill Peters. Prosecutors said Green financed the plan by stealing money from a school dance team fundraiser at Carr Lane Middle School. The stolen funds were used to pay Cutler for carrying out the murder.
On March 7, 2016, Green sent Cutler $2,500 in cash through a UPS package as part of the arrangement. Two weeks later, Cutler traveled to St. Louis to carry out the killing. Green then attempted to distance himself from the crime by creating an alibi. He boarded a train to Chicago while giving Cutler the keys to both his Kia Optima and Peters’ apartment.
The murder took place on March 24, 2016. Cutler drove Green’s car to Peters’ apartment on West Pine Boulevard and entered using the keys provided by Green. Peters was inside her home preparing baby shower invitations for the upcoming birth. Cutler shot her in the eye using a potato as a makeshift silencer attached to the gun. The unusual detail left fragments of potato at the scene, which later became an important clue for investigators.
A Crime Scene Filled With Strange Clues
When authorities discovered Peters’ body, detectives were confronted with a crime scene that appeared unusual. The presence of potato fragments raised immediate questions about how the weapon had been used. Investigators began to consider whether the potatoes had been used to muffle the sound of the gunshot.
Another strange moment occurred shortly after the murder when Cutler returned to the apartment complex. Police detained him after he attempted to retrieve Green’s car from the scene. During questioning, detectives noticed behavior that raised suspicion. When informed that he was being detained, Cutler removed pages from a notebook he had been carrying and began eating them.
The act drew immediate attention from investigators. Detectives wondered what information the notebook contained and whether the destroyed pages held details connected to the murder plot. The bizarre behavior later became a notable detail in the investigation and is highlighted in the 48 Hours episode.
The Investigation Uncovers the Plot
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked together to investigate the killing. Detectives reviewed phone records, financial transactions, travel records, and surveillance footage as they traced the events leading up to Peters’ death.
Investigators determined that Green had carefully constructed an alibi by traveling to Chicago on the day of the murder. Surveillance footage also showed Green and Peters together shortly before the crime, including a trip to purchase potatoes at a grocery store. Prosecutors later argued that Green intentionally asked Peters to buy the potatoes that would be used in the murder.
After the killing, Green attempted to control how the discovery of Peters’ body would occur. Prosecutors said he first tried to persuade Peters’ mother to check on her daughter, knowing what she would find. When that effort failed, Green went to the apartment himself and called 911 while claiming he had just discovered the body.
The Trials and Sentencing
The evidence gathered by investigators led to federal charges against both men involved in the crime. In February 2024, Cornelius Green pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire in connection with the deaths of Peters and her unborn child.
Phillip J. Cutler chose to go to trial. In March 2024, a federal jury in St. Louis found him guilty of the same charges after hearing evidence about the plan and the execution of the murder. Both men faced severe penalties under federal law for the killing.
In June 2024, U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Green to two consecutive life terms in prison. Cutler had received the same sentence the previous week. The court concluded that both men would spend the rest of their lives behind bars for their roles in the murder.
The Lasting Impact of the Crime
The murder of Jocelyn Peters devastated her family, friends, and the school community where she worked. During the sentencing hearing, Peters’ mother spoke about the betrayal she felt after learning that Green had arranged the killing. She said that the man who should have protected her daughter had instead arranged her death.
Colleagues at Horace Mann Elementary School also described the emotional impact of the tragedy. Principal Nicole Conaway recalled the painful moment when students were told that their teacher had died. Many of the children had formed strong bonds with Peters and struggled to understand what had happened.
Through interviews with family members, investigators, and prosecutors, 48 Hours revisits the evidence and events that led to the conviction of the two men responsible. The episode presents the story of a beloved teacher whose life ended in a carefully planned crime that ultimately resulted in two life sentences and a lasting search for justice.
More “Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook”
- “Jocelyn Peters and the Notebook”: 48 Hours Reports March 14 2026
- Who Was Jocelyn Peters & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile
- Who Is Cornelius M. Green & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
