1 00:00:04,091 --> 00:00:05,614 [line trilling] 2 00:00:11,533 --> 00:00:14,709 - A pregnant woman's found in her apartment. 3 00:00:14,710 --> 00:00:16,580 - A single gunshot wound through her eye 4 00:00:16,581 --> 00:00:19,409 that instantaneously killed her. 5 00:00:19,410 --> 00:00:22,978 - And a potato was used to silence the gun. 6 00:00:22,979 --> 00:00:28,288 - She was sound asleep and just ambushed in her own bed. 7 00:00:28,289 --> 00:00:33,119 - There was no DNA evidence, no forced entry. 8 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,339 - This was not a burglary-type homicide. 9 00:00:36,340 --> 00:00:39,516 It looked like one of those old mafia movies. 10 00:00:39,517 --> 00:00:41,562 - What all is going on here? 11 00:00:41,563 --> 00:00:43,433 - There is video surveillance of someone 12 00:00:43,434 --> 00:00:46,046 turning onto the victim's street the night of the murder. 13 00:00:49,658 --> 00:00:53,269 - He tears out a single sheet of paper and proceeds 14 00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:56,664 to chew it up and swallow it. 15 00:00:56,665 --> 00:00:58,318 - There's no question that this was 16 00:00:58,319 --> 00:01:01,930 an elaborate, premeditated 17 00:01:01,931 --> 00:01:04,106 plan to end her life. 18 00:01:04,107 --> 00:01:07,109 [dramatic music] 19 00:01:07,110 --> 00:01:10,112 [tense music] 20 00:01:10,113 --> 00:01:17,163 ♪ 21 00:01:17,164 --> 00:01:20,122 [foreboding music] 22 00:01:20,123 --> 00:01:25,388 ♪ 23 00:01:25,389 --> 00:01:26,564 [line trilling] 24 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,060 [dramatic music] 25 00:01:45,061 --> 00:01:49,108 - We were dispatched to West Pine Avenue. 26 00:01:49,109 --> 00:01:51,414 At the same time, EMS responded, 27 00:01:51,415 --> 00:01:52,807 declared the victim deceased. 28 00:01:52,808 --> 00:01:54,809 [sirens wailing] 29 00:01:54,810 --> 00:01:56,854 - At the scene, we were met by the person that made 30 00:01:56,855 --> 00:01:59,596 a 911 call, Cornelius Green. 31 00:01:59,597 --> 00:02:02,512 And he said he was the boyfriend 32 00:02:02,513 --> 00:02:04,645 of the victim that was inside. 33 00:02:04,646 --> 00:02:06,821 Her name was Jocelyn Peters. 34 00:02:06,822 --> 00:02:09,389 - Cornelius was extremely out of breath, 35 00:02:09,390 --> 00:02:10,781 a little bit frantic. 36 00:02:10,782 --> 00:02:14,002 He told us Miss Peters was seven months pregnant, 37 00:02:14,003 --> 00:02:17,745 and he oftentimes stayed with her at her apartment. 38 00:02:17,746 --> 00:02:21,096 - It was a secure building with a key 39 00:02:21,097 --> 00:02:25,796 that cannot be duplicated for the front main entrance door. 40 00:02:25,797 --> 00:02:27,537 - As you enter the apartment building, 41 00:02:27,538 --> 00:02:31,846 you'd go through a secure locked glass foyer entrance. 42 00:02:31,847 --> 00:02:34,022 The victim's apartment was that first apartment 43 00:02:34,023 --> 00:02:37,068 on the left as you walk up to the second floor. 44 00:02:37,069 --> 00:02:39,941 ♪ 45 00:02:39,942 --> 00:02:43,249 As you enter the apartment, to the right is the bedroom. 46 00:02:43,250 --> 00:02:45,294 Her bedroom door was opened. 47 00:02:45,295 --> 00:02:47,731 The victim was on her bed laying 48 00:02:47,732 --> 00:02:51,213 on her right side, pillow tucked underneath her arms, 49 00:02:51,214 --> 00:02:53,041 blankets no longer on her. 50 00:02:53,042 --> 00:02:56,044 - You could definitely tell that she was pregnant. 51 00:02:56,045 --> 00:02:59,743 She had her arms folded like she was sound asleep 52 00:02:59,744 --> 00:03:03,269 and just ambushed in her own bed. 53 00:03:03,270 --> 00:03:07,534 - She had obvious gunshot wound through her eye and blood that 54 00:03:07,535 --> 00:03:09,405 had came down the side of her face 55 00:03:09,406 --> 00:03:12,278 and pooled on the pillow next to her arm. 56 00:03:12,279 --> 00:03:14,497 Terribly tragic scene. 57 00:03:14,498 --> 00:03:18,153 - I do not believe this poor woman ever knew what 58 00:03:18,154 --> 00:03:21,287 hit her before it happened. 59 00:03:21,288 --> 00:03:24,551 The whole thing was horrible. 60 00:03:24,552 --> 00:03:27,728 - This was an investigation of a homicide. 61 00:03:27,729 --> 00:03:29,469 As we looked around the bedroom, 62 00:03:29,470 --> 00:03:32,385 we observed something that was extremely strange, 63 00:03:32,386 --> 00:03:35,475 what appeared to be an organic material all around the victim 64 00:03:35,476 --> 00:03:36,867 on her bed, 65 00:03:36,868 --> 00:03:39,914 large chunks of it on the wall and next to the bed. 66 00:03:39,915 --> 00:03:43,483 This was unidentified, and we immediately 67 00:03:43,484 --> 00:03:45,093 requested our evidence technicians 68 00:03:45,094 --> 00:03:47,661 to come in and seize this material so we could send 69 00:03:47,662 --> 00:03:50,881 it off for further analysis. 70 00:03:50,882 --> 00:03:53,362 We identified, underneath the dresser 71 00:03:53,363 --> 00:03:56,147 next to the victim's bed, a spent shell casing 72 00:03:56,148 --> 00:03:59,760 for a .380-caliber handgun. 73 00:03:59,761 --> 00:04:05,069 But there was no DNA evidence obtained during that time. 74 00:04:05,070 --> 00:04:06,984 One of the first things that I noticed 75 00:04:06,985 --> 00:04:10,336 is that there wasn't clothes strewn about. 76 00:04:10,337 --> 00:04:13,208 There wasn't TVs or anything knocked over. 77 00:04:13,209 --> 00:04:15,297 There wasn't drawers tossed out like someone 78 00:04:15,298 --> 00:04:18,300 that went through an apartment looking for something. 79 00:04:18,301 --> 00:04:19,910 - There was no forced entry. 80 00:04:19,911 --> 00:04:21,085 Nothing taken. 81 00:04:21,086 --> 00:04:23,871 This was not a burglary-type homicide. 82 00:04:23,872 --> 00:04:26,830 There was something else going on here. 83 00:04:26,831 --> 00:04:30,443 - We also noticed there was gifts that were laid out. 84 00:04:30,444 --> 00:04:35,622 There was a shirt that indicated "I love Daddy" 85 00:04:35,623 --> 00:04:39,539 and other items related to her baby. 86 00:04:39,540 --> 00:04:41,236 - It looked like this woman's whole life 87 00:04:41,237 --> 00:04:46,023 was surrounded around a child that she was about to have. 88 00:04:46,024 --> 00:04:48,896 - While our evidence technicians were conducting 89 00:04:48,897 --> 00:04:51,333 the interior scene investigation, 90 00:04:51,334 --> 00:04:53,596 we responded outside of the apartment 91 00:04:53,597 --> 00:04:57,078 and spoke with Mr. Green. 92 00:04:57,079 --> 00:05:00,386 - Cornelius Green was very upset. 93 00:05:00,387 --> 00:05:03,737 And he told me that his girlfriend, Jocelyn Peters, 94 00:05:03,738 --> 00:05:06,696 was 30 years old, and she was getting ready to have 95 00:05:06,697 --> 00:05:08,481 a shower for her child. 96 00:05:08,482 --> 00:05:10,178 - He immediately said, you got to find 97 00:05:10,179 --> 00:05:13,703 out who killed the mother of my child and my unborn child. 98 00:05:13,704 --> 00:05:16,837 Cornelius said that Ms. Peters was currently employed 99 00:05:16,838 --> 00:05:19,100 as a third grade school teacher 100 00:05:19,101 --> 00:05:22,277 at Mann Elementary School in the city of Saint Louis. 101 00:05:22,278 --> 00:05:25,628 And that he said he was a principal at Carr Lane School, 102 00:05:25,629 --> 00:05:28,631 but he had prior worked at Mann Elementary, 103 00:05:28,632 --> 00:05:30,894 and that's how they began the relationship. 104 00:05:30,895 --> 00:05:33,810 And he also stated that he was out of town visiting some 105 00:05:33,811 --> 00:05:37,292 friends in Chicago, and he got off the Amtrak 106 00:05:37,293 --> 00:05:39,860 train at 2:59 p.m. that day. 107 00:05:39,861 --> 00:05:41,775 - We continued our conversation, 108 00:05:41,776 --> 00:05:44,604 I asked how many keys there were for the apartment. 109 00:05:44,605 --> 00:05:48,129 He said he had one and the victim had one. 110 00:05:48,130 --> 00:05:51,219 These are heavy-duty doors that if you had to break in, 111 00:05:51,220 --> 00:05:53,830 you would have had to make a lot of noise. 112 00:05:53,831 --> 00:05:56,006 You would have had to done damage. 113 00:05:56,007 --> 00:05:58,313 None of that was visible. 114 00:05:58,314 --> 00:06:02,056 So Cornelius Green was taken down to police headquarters 115 00:06:02,057 --> 00:06:03,579 for more interviewing. 116 00:06:03,580 --> 00:06:06,756 ♪ 117 00:06:06,757 --> 00:06:08,497 - My phone just started ringing 118 00:06:08,498 --> 00:06:09,585 and ringing and ringing. 119 00:06:09,586 --> 00:06:11,239 And I looked up. 120 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:12,936 It was Cornelius. 121 00:06:12,937 --> 00:06:14,895 He was like, it's been an accident. 122 00:06:14,896 --> 00:06:15,939 It's been blood. 123 00:06:15,940 --> 00:06:17,332 It's blood. 124 00:06:17,333 --> 00:06:18,899 I said, I got to go now. 125 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:21,858 It felt like I was driving only 2 miles an hour. 126 00:06:21,859 --> 00:06:25,427 And I got to her apartment. 127 00:06:25,428 --> 00:06:27,429 There was police. 128 00:06:27,430 --> 00:06:29,823 And I walked up to her door, 129 00:06:29,824 --> 00:06:33,696 and the cop just looked at me, 130 00:06:33,697 --> 00:06:37,004 and she was like, she's dead. 131 00:06:37,005 --> 00:06:39,572 And I was like, what about the baby? 132 00:06:39,573 --> 00:06:41,225 What about the baby? 133 00:06:41,226 --> 00:06:44,533 And she just kind of like, dropped her head down. 134 00:06:44,534 --> 00:06:48,363 And she was like, the baby's dead, too. 135 00:06:48,364 --> 00:06:50,147 I just couldn't believe it. 136 00:06:50,148 --> 00:06:53,586 She wasn't the young lady to be out and running the street, 137 00:06:53,587 --> 00:06:55,762 making enemies, stuff like that. 138 00:06:55,763 --> 00:06:58,460 She just wasn't that person. 139 00:06:58,461 --> 00:07:02,595 I told the police, we just took a family cruise for her 140 00:07:02,596 --> 00:07:05,380 30th birthday, with Cornelius. 141 00:07:05,381 --> 00:07:08,427 I believe they paid for the cruise together. 142 00:07:08,428 --> 00:07:09,776 He was a good guy. 143 00:07:09,777 --> 00:07:11,908 It was a good relationship. 144 00:07:11,909 --> 00:07:14,520 She was really happy and ecstatic because this would 145 00:07:14,521 --> 00:07:16,870 have been her first child. 146 00:07:16,871 --> 00:07:21,483 I just felt like if I could have traded my life for hers, 147 00:07:21,484 --> 00:07:23,093 I would have gladly did it. 148 00:07:23,094 --> 00:07:26,096 [somber music] 149 00:07:26,097 --> 00:07:29,143 ♪ 150 00:07:29,144 --> 00:07:31,972 - We have a young, pregnant school teacher, 151 00:07:31,973 --> 00:07:34,714 has no enemies, no criminal history, 152 00:07:34,715 --> 00:07:37,238 and she was shot in her sleep. 153 00:07:37,239 --> 00:07:39,283 [dramatic music] 154 00:07:39,284 --> 00:07:42,286 So we went back inside of the apartment. 155 00:07:42,287 --> 00:07:44,985 We're going to be meticulous, take our time, 156 00:07:44,986 --> 00:07:48,945 and go through and get every obstructive fact that we 157 00:07:48,946 --> 00:07:52,253 can obtain from the scene. 158 00:07:52,254 --> 00:07:54,647 - As we looked around the apartment again, 159 00:07:54,648 --> 00:07:56,518 the kitchen was in order. 160 00:07:56,519 --> 00:08:01,871 On the refrigerator, the victim had a menu for the whole week 161 00:08:01,872 --> 00:08:04,570 written on a whiteboard, contained everything 162 00:08:04,571 --> 00:08:07,094 she wanted to feed herself. 163 00:08:07,095 --> 00:08:10,532 - We observed on the kitchen dining room table a 10-pound 164 00:08:10,533 --> 00:08:13,100 bag of Russet baking potatoes. 165 00:08:13,101 --> 00:08:15,885 The bag was opened, but the menu 166 00:08:15,886 --> 00:08:18,540 on her refrigerator, none of those recipes 167 00:08:18,541 --> 00:08:21,500 indicated they used potatoes. 168 00:08:21,501 --> 00:08:23,371 - The substance that was all over the victim 169 00:08:23,372 --> 00:08:26,766 and the victim's bed and the walls, the evidence technician 170 00:08:26,767 --> 00:08:29,943 unit was able to find a piece big enough that indicated 171 00:08:29,944 --> 00:08:32,946 it may possibly be a potato. 172 00:08:32,947 --> 00:08:37,907 There's old mafia movies where they use potatoes as silencers. 173 00:08:37,908 --> 00:08:41,302 If it was a silencer trick, it's 174 00:08:41,303 --> 00:08:44,000 not like you're going to go in and break into a house 175 00:08:44,001 --> 00:08:46,002 and then look around for a potato, 176 00:08:46,003 --> 00:08:48,396 decide to kill somebody sleeping. 177 00:08:48,397 --> 00:08:51,573 Somebody knew the potato was going to be there, that they 178 00:08:51,574 --> 00:08:52,922 were going to obviously use. 179 00:08:52,923 --> 00:08:55,272 - This was a clearly and obviously 180 00:08:55,273 --> 00:08:59,407 a premeditated and planned murder. 181 00:08:59,408 --> 00:09:02,062 ♪ 182 00:09:02,063 --> 00:09:04,586 - There was the package with the money 183 00:09:04,587 --> 00:09:06,762 to kill Jocelyn Peters. 184 00:09:06,763 --> 00:09:09,722 - You could clearly see a 10-pound bag of Russet 185 00:09:09,723 --> 00:09:11,332 potatoes sitting on there. 186 00:09:11,333 --> 00:09:14,553 - She is literally purchasing the tools that are going 187 00:09:14,554 --> 00:09:16,250 to be used in her own murder. 188 00:09:16,251 --> 00:09:19,688 - It becomes very apparent how much thought process went 189 00:09:19,689 --> 00:09:21,690 into this before it happened. 190 00:09:21,691 --> 00:09:24,912 - She never saw this coming. 191 00:09:27,479 --> 00:09:28,741 [tense music] 192 00:09:28,742 --> 00:09:32,440 [sirens wailing] 193 00:09:32,441 --> 00:09:36,400 - On March 24, 2016, when I found out, 194 00:09:36,401 --> 00:09:39,490 Jocelyn Peters was found shot to death. 195 00:09:39,491 --> 00:09:41,710 And what struck me immediately was the fact 196 00:09:41,711 --> 00:09:45,496 that she was pregnant, and a potato 197 00:09:45,497 --> 00:09:47,673 was used to silence the gun. 198 00:09:47,674 --> 00:09:52,155 So I went to the area where the crime scene was. 199 00:09:52,156 --> 00:09:57,596 And people were talking about how nice and sweet she was. 200 00:09:57,597 --> 00:09:59,293 - I just didn't understand. 201 00:09:59,294 --> 00:10:02,035 Please, please tell me this isn't true, is it? 202 00:10:02,036 --> 00:10:04,428 She was such a nurturing and loving teacher, 203 00:10:04,429 --> 00:10:06,822 her passion, her liveliness. 204 00:10:06,823 --> 00:10:08,084 She was very, very skilled. 205 00:10:08,085 --> 00:10:11,435 And she had just this fire about her. 206 00:10:11,436 --> 00:10:13,481 We knew she would be an amazing mom. 207 00:10:13,482 --> 00:10:14,961 [gentle piano music] 208 00:10:14,962 --> 00:10:18,660 - She was really ecstatic about having the baby, 209 00:10:18,661 --> 00:10:22,621 because this would have been her first child. 210 00:10:22,622 --> 00:10:24,579 - Micah Leigh was the name for her baby 211 00:10:24,580 --> 00:10:26,233 that she was carrying. 212 00:10:26,234 --> 00:10:31,368 And from my interviews with her family, friends, coworkers, 213 00:10:31,369 --> 00:10:34,458 it was fairly obvious how excited Jocelyn 214 00:10:34,459 --> 00:10:36,112 was to be a new mother. 215 00:10:36,113 --> 00:10:38,941 ♪ 216 00:10:38,942 --> 00:10:43,424 Upon speaking with the medical examiner at the scene, 217 00:10:43,425 --> 00:10:46,949 it was determined that Ms. Peters died between 2:59 218 00:10:46,950 --> 00:10:49,952 and 3:48 a.m. from a single gunshot wound through her eye 219 00:10:49,953 --> 00:10:52,738 from a .380-caliber handgun that would have 220 00:10:52,739 --> 00:10:55,262 instantaneously killed her and caused 221 00:10:55,263 --> 00:10:58,700 the death of her unborn child. 222 00:10:58,701 --> 00:11:00,920 I immediately thought, how did this happen? 223 00:11:00,921 --> 00:11:02,661 Why did this happen? 224 00:11:02,662 --> 00:11:04,750 Mr. Green had told Sergeant McGlynn 225 00:11:04,751 --> 00:11:06,490 that he was the only one to have access 226 00:11:06,491 --> 00:11:09,493 and keys to the apartment, and there 227 00:11:09,494 --> 00:11:11,539 was no sign of forced entry. 228 00:11:11,540 --> 00:11:14,411 So Cornelius Green was obviously a person 229 00:11:14,412 --> 00:11:17,763 of interest at this point. 230 00:11:17,764 --> 00:11:21,331 So we conveyed Mr. Green down to the Homicide office 231 00:11:21,332 --> 00:11:24,247 so we could interview him. 232 00:11:24,248 --> 00:11:28,338 - When murders happen, the overwhelming majority of them 233 00:11:28,339 --> 00:11:30,689 are at the hands of someone that we know-- 234 00:11:30,690 --> 00:11:33,953 a family member, spouse, brother, 235 00:11:33,954 --> 00:11:35,955 sister, something like that. 236 00:11:35,956 --> 00:11:38,000 - During that initial interview, 237 00:11:38,001 --> 00:11:40,829 we want to see his body language, how he speaks. 238 00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:42,918 Does he react as most people normally 239 00:11:42,919 --> 00:11:44,704 do in a situation like that? 240 00:12:03,635 --> 00:12:06,507 - Cornelius Green, when he's being questioned 241 00:12:06,508 --> 00:12:08,552 by the detectives, he seems to be 242 00:12:08,553 --> 00:12:11,033 upset about losing this child and this woman 243 00:12:11,034 --> 00:12:12,818 that he has loved. 244 00:12:12,819 --> 00:12:16,430 But he doesn't engage in a heck of a lot of eye contact. 245 00:12:16,431 --> 00:12:20,042 It seems that he is trying hard to manage 246 00:12:20,043 --> 00:12:21,479 the way other people see him. 247 00:12:31,185 --> 00:12:35,144 - During that same time, we want to get a timeline of, 248 00:12:35,145 --> 00:12:36,885 when did you get into town? 249 00:12:36,886 --> 00:12:37,887 How did you get here? 250 00:12:47,070 --> 00:12:49,724 - As he's on the train coming back to Saint Louis, 251 00:12:49,725 --> 00:12:52,988 Cornelius starts calling Jocelyn repeatedly, 252 00:12:52,989 --> 00:12:54,468 not getting answers. 253 00:12:54,469 --> 00:12:58,167 He calls her mother and says, I'm concerned. 254 00:12:58,168 --> 00:12:59,648 She's not answering my calls. 255 00:13:09,310 --> 00:13:15,097 - Cornelius informed me that he was picked up by his friend 256 00:13:15,098 --> 00:13:17,752 in Cornelius's car. 257 00:13:17,753 --> 00:13:22,148 He dropped his friend off, came over to the apartment, 258 00:13:22,149 --> 00:13:23,541 and found the victim. 259 00:13:35,031 --> 00:13:36,684 - While we were interviewing him, 260 00:13:36,685 --> 00:13:39,382 I had the investigators call the train station. 261 00:13:39,383 --> 00:13:41,036 We got their surveillance footage, 262 00:13:41,037 --> 00:13:44,300 and we could see Cornelius coming off the Amtrak 263 00:13:44,301 --> 00:13:46,302 train into the terminal. 264 00:13:46,303 --> 00:13:48,957 - Cornelius Green was out of town in Chicago 265 00:13:48,958 --> 00:13:52,743 at the time of the murder so he obviously 266 00:13:52,744 --> 00:13:54,963 was not the triggerman. 267 00:13:54,964 --> 00:13:58,706 - But the odd thing about that was, he was looking up 268 00:13:58,707 --> 00:14:00,447 at the cameras to make sure that 269 00:14:00,448 --> 00:14:02,318 you could see a good, clear view of him 270 00:14:02,319 --> 00:14:04,233 getting off that train. 271 00:14:04,234 --> 00:14:06,061 He made a point to be seen. 272 00:14:06,062 --> 00:14:08,237 That was something that stuck in our head. 273 00:14:08,238 --> 00:14:09,673 So we had to keep digging. 274 00:14:09,674 --> 00:14:11,588 We wanted to get a little background 275 00:14:11,589 --> 00:14:15,680 on his ongoing relationship with Jocelyn Peters. 276 00:14:21,861 --> 00:14:23,949 - He had stated that they had been looking at houses 277 00:14:23,950 --> 00:14:27,996 and had just, two weeks prior to her death, went on a cruise 278 00:14:27,997 --> 00:14:30,869 together with several members of her family. 279 00:14:30,870 --> 00:14:34,525 But then he said something that was extremely strange. 280 00:14:47,974 --> 00:14:50,192 - Mr. Green explained to us that he 281 00:14:50,193 --> 00:14:54,066 was currently separated from his wife, obtaining a divorce. 282 00:14:54,067 --> 00:14:59,288 And it was due to his ongoing relationship with Ms. Peters. 283 00:14:59,289 --> 00:15:03,162 - At that point, I wanted to search Cornelius's car, 284 00:15:03,163 --> 00:15:06,556 and I was going to search the victim's car as well. 285 00:15:06,557 --> 00:15:08,994 Because vehicles are places that sometimes 286 00:15:08,995 --> 00:15:10,386 evidence ends up. 287 00:15:10,387 --> 00:15:11,911 It's an extension of the crime scene. 288 00:15:26,882 --> 00:15:28,578 - Mr. Green became extremely agitated. 289 00:15:28,579 --> 00:15:32,409 Felt like it was an accusatory question that we would ask him. 290 00:15:40,896 --> 00:15:44,899 - He became irate towards us and refused consent 291 00:15:44,900 --> 00:15:47,423 for any officers to look inside of his vehicle 292 00:15:47,424 --> 00:15:49,469 at that current time. 293 00:15:49,470 --> 00:15:52,341 And you're like, this guy is obviously 294 00:15:52,342 --> 00:15:54,039 involved in something. 295 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,042 And then during the course of our interview, 296 00:15:57,043 --> 00:16:00,741 Mr. Green requested to contact his daughter. 297 00:16:00,742 --> 00:16:03,571 And we monitored this as it was happening live. 298 00:16:07,357 --> 00:16:10,490 - He had the volume up so loud that you 299 00:16:10,491 --> 00:16:12,972 could hear the other person on the other line talking. 300 00:16:19,195 --> 00:16:21,849 [tense music] 301 00:16:21,850 --> 00:16:24,286 - His vehicle had still remained at the scene, 302 00:16:24,287 --> 00:16:28,116 and he was reaching out to his wife, Stephanie. 303 00:16:28,117 --> 00:16:30,814 He wanted her to meet with someone named Phillip 304 00:16:30,815 --> 00:16:33,208 and give him the keys so Phillip 305 00:16:33,209 --> 00:16:35,297 can go pick up his vehicle. 306 00:16:35,298 --> 00:16:38,561 - Which makes zero sense when his girlfriend and his child 307 00:16:38,562 --> 00:16:39,954 have just been murdered. 308 00:16:39,955 --> 00:16:41,825 - It makes you wonder, who is Phillip, 309 00:16:41,826 --> 00:16:44,524 and why is Cornelius so concerned 310 00:16:44,525 --> 00:16:46,961 about his wife meeting with this man, 311 00:16:46,962 --> 00:16:49,008 and what all is going on here? 312 00:16:53,055 --> 00:16:56,536 [sirens wailing] 313 00:16:56,537 --> 00:16:59,539 - At one point during the interview with Cornelius Green, 314 00:16:59,540 --> 00:17:02,108 he makes a phone call to his wife. 315 00:17:07,635 --> 00:17:10,463 - Cornelius had requested his wife, Stephanie, 316 00:17:10,464 --> 00:17:13,379 to get his spare key and take it to a friend 317 00:17:13,380 --> 00:17:15,685 of his named Phillip. 318 00:17:15,686 --> 00:17:19,038 After speaking to his wife, he reached out to Phillip. 319 00:17:29,483 --> 00:17:31,832 - Green arranges for Stephanie and Phillip 320 00:17:31,833 --> 00:17:36,489 to meet at this gas station by Forest Park and Highway 40. 321 00:17:36,490 --> 00:17:40,014 And then Cornelius wants him to go pick up his vehicle 322 00:17:40,015 --> 00:17:41,755 at the crime scene. 323 00:17:41,756 --> 00:17:44,801 - It was kind of shocking to see him do that. 324 00:17:44,802 --> 00:17:48,109 I wanted to know what was on the inside of that car 325 00:17:48,110 --> 00:17:50,677 that Cornelius was trying to hide. 326 00:17:50,678 --> 00:17:55,334 - Cornelius wasn't a suspect, but his extreme concern 327 00:17:55,335 --> 00:17:58,250 over his vehicle gave us a pause and concern 328 00:17:58,251 --> 00:18:00,382 to investigate further. 329 00:18:00,383 --> 00:18:02,123 - But we were not able to get a search 330 00:18:02,124 --> 00:18:05,692 warrant, because there was not enough tangible evidence 331 00:18:05,693 --> 00:18:06,954 at that point. 332 00:18:06,955 --> 00:18:09,217 - So we went back in the interview room 333 00:18:09,218 --> 00:18:11,611 and we asked who he was talking to. 334 00:18:11,612 --> 00:18:16,833 He admitted that he called his wife, Stephanie, and a friend 335 00:18:16,834 --> 00:18:19,184 of his named Phillip Cutler. 336 00:18:19,185 --> 00:18:21,055 We wanted to know why he's the one 337 00:18:21,056 --> 00:18:22,623 that Cornelius reached out to. 338 00:18:37,594 --> 00:18:40,988 - Obviously, we knew that on the 22nd, Cornelius Green took 339 00:18:40,989 --> 00:18:42,903 the Amtrak train to Chicago. 340 00:18:42,904 --> 00:18:45,559 We wanted to know who gave him a ride to the Amtrak station. 341 00:18:58,528 --> 00:19:01,922 - We knew he did not want us to search that vehicle, which 342 00:19:01,923 --> 00:19:03,663 really didn't make sense. 343 00:19:03,664 --> 00:19:07,971 We wanted to know, what did Phillip Cutler do with the car 344 00:19:07,972 --> 00:19:10,583 while Cornelius was gone? 345 00:19:10,584 --> 00:19:12,802 Was he near Jocelyn Peter's apartment 346 00:19:12,803 --> 00:19:15,196 during the time when the murder had occurred? 347 00:19:15,197 --> 00:19:18,156 So now, he's a person that we got to interview. 348 00:19:18,157 --> 00:19:20,941 - We had investigators respond to that gas station. 349 00:19:20,942 --> 00:19:23,291 They were able to make contact with Stephanie Green 350 00:19:23,292 --> 00:19:25,424 and Phillip Cutler, and they're both brought down 351 00:19:25,425 --> 00:19:28,122 to the Homicide Division, where we're able to interview 352 00:19:28,123 --> 00:19:29,950 them that evening. 353 00:19:29,951 --> 00:19:32,257 - And we obviously had to look pretty hard 354 00:19:32,258 --> 00:19:33,867 at Cornelius's wife, 355 00:19:33,868 --> 00:19:36,174 because he indicated there was a divorce 356 00:19:36,175 --> 00:19:38,132 that was going to take place. 357 00:19:38,133 --> 00:19:41,570 - Stephanie Green was shook up and in fragile emotional state 358 00:19:41,571 --> 00:19:42,832 while we were speaking to her. 359 00:19:42,833 --> 00:19:44,573 She had no idea that Cornelius was 360 00:19:44,574 --> 00:19:47,272 involved in this relationship with our victim, 361 00:19:47,273 --> 00:19:49,796 Jocelyn Peters. 362 00:19:49,797 --> 00:19:53,278 And she was further unaware that Cornelius and Jocelyn were 363 00:19:53,279 --> 00:19:55,976 expecting a newborn child. 364 00:19:55,977 --> 00:19:59,414 It was kind of a bombshell that was dropped on her. 365 00:19:59,415 --> 00:20:03,592 - That was immediately a red flag for detectives. 366 00:20:03,593 --> 00:20:06,943 Cornelius's wife said, there was no talk of divorce. 367 00:20:06,944 --> 00:20:09,772 There was no talk of we're having problems. 368 00:20:09,773 --> 00:20:13,559 And she had an alibi when the murder occurred. 369 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,561 - Stephanie was cooperative. 370 00:20:15,562 --> 00:20:18,564 There was nothing that indicated to us that she was 371 00:20:18,565 --> 00:20:21,001 being dishonest or deceitful, so we 372 00:20:21,002 --> 00:20:22,829 have to rule Stephanie out. 373 00:20:22,830 --> 00:20:26,789 But Mr. Green's lies regarding him obtaining a divorce 374 00:20:26,790 --> 00:20:29,792 from his wife made him look even more to us 375 00:20:29,793 --> 00:20:32,969 like a suspect during this investigation. 376 00:20:32,970 --> 00:20:35,930 So the next step was to speak with Phillip Cutler. 377 00:20:50,423 --> 00:20:54,034 - He stated that he had not personally met her 378 00:20:54,035 --> 00:20:58,691 and denied ever being over at victim Peter's residence. 379 00:20:58,692 --> 00:21:01,781 Then we kind of went into a let's get a timeline 380 00:21:01,782 --> 00:21:03,827 of when did you get into town? 381 00:21:17,145 --> 00:21:19,189 - He stated he'd come here on the Greyhound bus. 382 00:21:19,190 --> 00:21:23,193 Cornelius picked him up at the bus station on the 21st 383 00:21:23,194 --> 00:21:24,674 at approximately 10:30 in the evening. 384 00:21:39,428 --> 00:21:41,299 [tense music] 385 00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:43,823 - When we asked him-- you came down to visit your friend. 386 00:21:43,824 --> 00:21:45,738 Doesn't that seem-- that seems a little odd. 387 00:21:45,739 --> 00:21:47,609 Did you know he was going to be leaving? 388 00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:51,961 He kind of hem-hawed a little bit around the question. 389 00:21:51,962 --> 00:21:54,224 And at this point, we had conducted interviews 390 00:21:54,225 --> 00:21:56,575 with Mr. Cutler, Mr. Green. 391 00:21:56,576 --> 00:21:58,403 Some of the things just didn't sit 392 00:21:58,404 --> 00:22:00,100 right with the investigation. 393 00:22:00,101 --> 00:22:03,886 Cornelius gave Phillip Cutler possession of his vehicle 394 00:22:03,887 --> 00:22:06,846 while he was out of town, and then he 395 00:22:06,847 --> 00:22:09,152 refused consent for any officers 396 00:22:09,153 --> 00:22:11,111 to look inside of his vehicle. 397 00:22:11,112 --> 00:22:14,506 Also, Green wasn't telling the truth about being 398 00:22:14,507 --> 00:22:16,246 separated from his wife. 399 00:22:16,247 --> 00:22:18,814 So they were certainly persons of interest, 400 00:22:18,815 --> 00:22:23,471 but there were no arrests at that time. 401 00:22:23,472 --> 00:22:25,908 But we had investigators continued reviewing 402 00:22:25,909 --> 00:22:27,997 the evidence, reviewing reports, 403 00:22:27,998 --> 00:22:30,086 and video footage from the interviews 404 00:22:30,087 --> 00:22:33,220 with Mr. Cutler, Mr. Green, 405 00:22:33,221 --> 00:22:36,441 that's when we observed something that was extremely 406 00:22:36,442 --> 00:22:39,313 strange that occurred while Mr. Cutler was 407 00:22:39,314 --> 00:22:42,011 alone in the interview room. 408 00:22:42,012 --> 00:22:43,448 He's pacing back and forth. 409 00:22:43,449 --> 00:22:45,014 And then much to our astonishment, 410 00:22:45,015 --> 00:22:49,105 he thumbs through a notepad, tears 411 00:22:49,106 --> 00:22:52,195 out a single sheet of paper, and proceeds 412 00:22:52,196 --> 00:22:54,807 to chew it up and swallow it. 413 00:22:54,808 --> 00:22:58,027 My immediate reaction was, what in the heck? 414 00:22:58,028 --> 00:23:00,203 There's no doubt in my mind that that piece of paper 415 00:23:00,204 --> 00:23:04,338 was a direct connection to him and the murder 416 00:23:04,339 --> 00:23:06,820 that had just occurred. 417 00:23:09,344 --> 00:23:12,346 [tense music] 418 00:23:12,347 --> 00:23:14,304 ♪ 419 00:23:14,305 --> 00:23:17,090 - During the interview, you see Phillip Cutler 420 00:23:17,091 --> 00:23:19,614 get a piece of paper with some writing on it 421 00:23:19,615 --> 00:23:23,183 and then goes to his mouth with it and it disappears. 422 00:23:23,184 --> 00:23:25,315 It's very unusual, what he does. 423 00:23:25,316 --> 00:23:28,188 It was like he was trying to hide something. 424 00:23:28,189 --> 00:23:31,626 Possibly, there's some indication of guilt there. 425 00:23:31,627 --> 00:23:34,760 - Because of their behavior, our investigation now 426 00:23:34,761 --> 00:23:37,632 is directed towards Phillip Cutler and Cornelius Green 427 00:23:37,633 --> 00:23:38,981 as suspects. 428 00:23:38,982 --> 00:23:40,374 But we need evidence. 429 00:23:40,375 --> 00:23:42,202 So one of the things that we do is, 430 00:23:42,203 --> 00:23:45,161 we'll look for potential surveillance equipment 431 00:23:45,162 --> 00:23:47,250 throughout the neighborhood. 432 00:23:47,251 --> 00:23:49,470 - The entrance to Jocelyn's street, 433 00:23:49,471 --> 00:23:51,211 where the apartments were located, 434 00:23:51,212 --> 00:23:54,649 had a building that had some security footage 435 00:23:54,650 --> 00:23:56,912 running 24/7 on the perimeter. 436 00:23:56,913 --> 00:24:01,090 - I was able to reach out and go over surveillance footage. 437 00:24:01,091 --> 00:24:04,224 We know that Cornelius Green arrived over at the scene 438 00:24:04,225 --> 00:24:07,880 sometime around 3:20 the afternoon after the murder, 439 00:24:07,881 --> 00:24:12,362 and he was driving his car, so that gave us a starting point. 440 00:24:12,363 --> 00:24:14,974 We backed up and went through probably 12 441 00:24:14,975 --> 00:24:17,759 to 15 hours of video surveillance 442 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,457 of that intersection. 443 00:24:19,458 --> 00:24:22,024 As we're looking at it, 2:59 a.m. 444 00:24:22,025 --> 00:24:23,896 on the night of the murder, 445 00:24:23,897 --> 00:24:26,725 we see a vehicle turn onto Jocelyn 446 00:24:26,726 --> 00:24:28,422 Peters's street from Boyle. 447 00:24:28,423 --> 00:24:32,557 And we later observe it leave the street around 3:48. 448 00:24:32,558 --> 00:24:35,211 - It was a white Kia, and they were able to zoom in, 449 00:24:35,212 --> 00:24:38,214 and we got three or four positive letters 450 00:24:38,215 --> 00:24:40,478 off the license plate. 451 00:24:40,479 --> 00:24:43,611 - It was indeed Cornelius Green's white Kia Optima. 452 00:24:43,612 --> 00:24:46,266 We knew that Cornelius Green was out of town, 453 00:24:46,267 --> 00:24:49,138 and he had left the keys to his vehicle 454 00:24:49,139 --> 00:24:50,531 with Phillip Cutler. 455 00:24:50,532 --> 00:24:53,578 And we knew that those keys also contained a key 456 00:24:53,579 --> 00:24:56,145 to enter into that apartment complex 457 00:24:56,146 --> 00:24:59,235 and enter into Mrs. Peters's apartment. 458 00:24:59,236 --> 00:25:01,542 At this point, it gave us a theory 459 00:25:01,543 --> 00:25:05,155 that Phillip Cutler was the one that killed Jocelyn Peters. 460 00:25:10,421 --> 00:25:16,339 - I couldn't really process her untimely death, 461 00:25:16,340 --> 00:25:19,429 but I had a funeral to plan. 462 00:25:19,430 --> 00:25:21,910 Principal Nicole had called, and she was like, well, 463 00:25:21,911 --> 00:25:23,216 you know what? 464 00:25:23,217 --> 00:25:25,958 I'm going to call that day off for the kids 465 00:25:25,959 --> 00:25:30,571 so they'll be able to attend Jocelyn's funeral. 466 00:25:30,572 --> 00:25:32,486 - There were kids that were really struggling, 467 00:25:32,487 --> 00:25:37,622 so we really wanted to find a way to celebrate her life. 468 00:25:37,623 --> 00:25:42,627 - When I got to the funeral, it was people already 469 00:25:42,628 --> 00:25:45,064 just standing there lined around the corner 470 00:25:45,065 --> 00:25:47,022 just to see her. 471 00:25:47,023 --> 00:25:50,460 Jocelyn's favorite color is yellow. 472 00:25:50,461 --> 00:25:54,247 So at the funeral, when the kids walked past me, 473 00:25:54,248 --> 00:25:57,859 all the kids would hand me one yellow rose. 474 00:25:57,860 --> 00:25:59,382 It was really hard. 475 00:25:59,383 --> 00:26:02,821 I was constantly praying. 476 00:26:02,822 --> 00:26:05,867 Cornelius did not attend her funeral. 477 00:26:05,868 --> 00:26:09,784 It ran in the back of my mind, why my daughter is dead, 478 00:26:09,785 --> 00:26:11,090 he's not dead, too? 479 00:26:11,091 --> 00:26:12,614 That's what I wanted to know. 480 00:26:15,574 --> 00:26:18,663 - As we continued looking into Cornelius Green and Phillip 481 00:26:18,664 --> 00:26:24,146 Cutler, trying to get as much evidence and a foundation laid, 482 00:26:24,147 --> 00:26:25,931 there was tips that would come in. 483 00:26:25,932 --> 00:26:29,456 One of those was this woman who came into the Homicide office 484 00:26:29,457 --> 00:26:31,458 and stated that she saw on the news 485 00:26:31,459 --> 00:26:33,199 that this incident occurred. 486 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,158 And then she said she was involved with Cornelius 487 00:26:36,159 --> 00:26:38,639 for quite a while, a couple years at least, 488 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,337 and recently learned he was juggling 489 00:26:41,338 --> 00:26:44,776 numerous romantic sexual relationships at the same time. 490 00:26:44,777 --> 00:26:47,779 - She said he was a womanizer and certainly was 491 00:26:47,780 --> 00:26:50,129 another red flag for police. 492 00:26:50,130 --> 00:26:52,261 - At that point, after interviewing her, 493 00:26:52,262 --> 00:26:55,177 we'd received a call from Cornelius Green. 494 00:26:55,178 --> 00:26:57,310 He said he had heard out on the street 495 00:26:57,311 --> 00:27:00,095 that we were speaking to this woman who he was involved 496 00:27:00,096 --> 00:27:02,924 in a relationship with, and he was 497 00:27:02,925 --> 00:27:04,970 irritated, to say the least. 498 00:27:04,971 --> 00:27:08,364 He then went on and asked what he could do to help us, 499 00:27:08,365 --> 00:27:10,018 so we offered him the opportunity 500 00:27:10,019 --> 00:27:14,196 to provide his cellular telephone, and oddly enough, 501 00:27:14,197 --> 00:27:17,243 he allowed us to download it. 502 00:27:17,244 --> 00:27:18,853 After receiving the data information, 503 00:27:18,854 --> 00:27:22,422 we were able to obtain his text messaging and some 504 00:27:22,423 --> 00:27:23,945 of his Google searches. 505 00:27:23,946 --> 00:27:29,298 And on March 20, 2016, four days before the murder 506 00:27:29,299 --> 00:27:32,301 and prior to Phillip Cutler coming into town, 507 00:27:32,302 --> 00:27:34,042 he had a telephonic conversation 508 00:27:34,043 --> 00:27:36,349 with Phillip Cutler. 509 00:27:36,350 --> 00:27:39,134 He then reached out to Ms. Peters via text. 510 00:27:39,135 --> 00:27:42,877 During that conversation, Ms. Peters states that she's going 511 00:27:42,878 --> 00:27:45,575 to go to the ALDIs and go grocery shopping, 512 00:27:45,576 --> 00:27:49,101 and Cornelius states, "I will meet you there." 513 00:27:49,102 --> 00:27:52,800 He seemed adamant that, hey, we'll go shopping together. 514 00:27:52,801 --> 00:27:54,497 It just seemed rather odd. 515 00:27:54,498 --> 00:27:56,412 She didn't seem like she was asking him to come 516 00:27:56,413 --> 00:27:58,588 with her to the grocery store. 517 00:27:58,589 --> 00:28:01,200 We were able to obtain the video surveillance 518 00:28:01,201 --> 00:28:03,376 inside the ALDIs, 519 00:28:03,377 --> 00:28:05,465 and we observed Jocelyn Peters exiting 520 00:28:05,466 --> 00:28:08,381 the store with Cornelius Green directly 521 00:28:08,382 --> 00:28:10,600 behind her, pushing the cart. 522 00:28:10,601 --> 00:28:13,865 And you could clearly see a 10-pound bag of Russet 523 00:28:13,866 --> 00:28:15,649 potatoes sitting on there. 524 00:28:15,650 --> 00:28:18,347 - Same brand that was found at the crime scene on the kitchen 525 00:28:18,348 --> 00:28:20,001 table with one missing. 526 00:28:20,002 --> 00:28:23,396 I don't believe it was just happenstance or coincidence. 527 00:28:23,397 --> 00:28:25,137 - Now, there's no doubt in our minds 528 00:28:25,138 --> 00:28:28,706 that that conversation he had with Phillip Cutler on March 529 00:28:28,707 --> 00:28:32,535 20th prior to going grocery shopping with Ms. Peters 530 00:28:32,536 --> 00:28:35,625 was him making sure that there's some potatoes bought. 531 00:28:35,626 --> 00:28:38,106 - It becomes very apparent, how much 532 00:28:38,107 --> 00:28:41,414 thought process he was putting into this before it happened. 533 00:28:41,415 --> 00:28:43,851 It was kind of shocking. 534 00:28:43,852 --> 00:28:45,418 - She never saw this coming. 535 00:28:45,419 --> 00:28:48,377 She is literally purchasing the tools that are going 536 00:28:48,378 --> 00:28:50,162 to be used in her own murder. 537 00:28:50,163 --> 00:28:52,251 - That's important because it did 538 00:28:52,252 --> 00:28:54,166 help us start to paint the picture 539 00:28:54,167 --> 00:28:56,951 and see what was happening just days prior 540 00:28:56,952 --> 00:28:58,648 to Ms. Peters being murdered. 541 00:28:58,649 --> 00:29:01,739 But it was circumstantial evidence, 542 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:05,830 and there was a tremendous amount of other obstacles 543 00:29:05,831 --> 00:29:07,527 to overcome. 544 00:29:07,528 --> 00:29:11,661 First, there was no murder weapon that was ever recovered. 545 00:29:11,662 --> 00:29:15,317 And second, Cornelius Green has an alibi. 546 00:29:15,318 --> 00:29:19,757 So we need to essentially prove he planned a way for Mr. Cutler 547 00:29:19,758 --> 00:29:22,760 to come into town to kill Jocelyn Peters. 548 00:29:22,761 --> 00:29:25,023 So next, we obtained a search warrant 549 00:29:25,024 --> 00:29:27,852 and received the tracking history from Phillip 550 00:29:27,853 --> 00:29:29,070 Cutler's telephone. 551 00:29:29,071 --> 00:29:31,116 It showed Phillip Cutler in the area 552 00:29:31,117 --> 00:29:34,684 of Jocelyn Peters's apartment the night she was murdered. 553 00:29:34,685 --> 00:29:38,253 And then it showed Cutler traveling directly 554 00:29:38,254 --> 00:29:42,040 down to North Riverfront Park on the far 555 00:29:42,041 --> 00:29:43,868 north end of the city. 556 00:29:43,869 --> 00:29:47,393 Why this stood out to us is because North Riverfront Park 557 00:29:47,394 --> 00:29:49,308 borders the Mississippi River. 558 00:29:49,309 --> 00:29:51,789 Cutler responded there after speaking with Green 559 00:29:51,790 --> 00:29:56,054 and spent eight minutes there the morning after the murder. 560 00:29:56,055 --> 00:29:59,057 We believe he discarded the murder weapon 561 00:29:59,058 --> 00:30:00,885 in the Mississippi River. 562 00:30:00,886 --> 00:30:03,496 - The river was searched, but unless you knew 563 00:30:03,497 --> 00:30:07,021 exactly where it was, the chances of it still being there 564 00:30:07,022 --> 00:30:08,327 are slim. 565 00:30:08,328 --> 00:30:10,895 So the murder weapon was never found. 566 00:30:10,896 --> 00:30:13,549 It was a very difficult case to make. 567 00:30:13,550 --> 00:30:15,464 That's why the detectives kept digging 568 00:30:15,465 --> 00:30:17,249 and digging and digging. 569 00:30:17,250 --> 00:30:20,034 - While we were looking for something that proved 570 00:30:20,035 --> 00:30:23,124 that they both worked together and planned a way to kill Ms. 571 00:30:23,125 --> 00:30:26,475 Peters, we were able to identify some of the most 572 00:30:26,476 --> 00:30:29,565 prevalent Google searches on Green's phone 573 00:30:29,566 --> 00:30:31,916 prior to the murder of Ms. Peters. 574 00:30:31,917 --> 00:30:33,787 One of the first patterns we observed 575 00:30:33,788 --> 00:30:37,443 was that there were Google searches about how to mask 576 00:30:37,444 --> 00:30:39,749 the taste of an abortion pill. 577 00:30:39,750 --> 00:30:43,318 - This was early on in the pregnancy, just a few weeks, 578 00:30:43,319 --> 00:30:46,234 and he had started Googling, can I crush 579 00:30:46,235 --> 00:30:49,716 up pills to end a pregnancy? 580 00:30:49,717 --> 00:30:52,937 - It strongly suggested that Cornelius Green 581 00:30:52,938 --> 00:30:55,069 was trying to kill the baby without Jocelyn 582 00:30:55,070 --> 00:30:56,505 Peters' knowledge. 583 00:30:56,506 --> 00:30:59,160 - I believe the baby that Jocelyn Peters was 584 00:30:59,161 --> 00:31:01,728 carrying became an obstacle. 585 00:31:01,729 --> 00:31:03,469 And if he could get rid of the pregnancy, 586 00:31:03,470 --> 00:31:05,993 then he could continue to have Jocelyn Peters as a toy 587 00:31:05,994 --> 00:31:09,518 to play with, along with the other five or six women, 588 00:31:09,519 --> 00:31:11,564 and continue to live life in exactly the way 589 00:31:11,565 --> 00:31:13,218 that he wanted to. 590 00:31:13,219 --> 00:31:15,829 - As we continued looking into his Google searches, 591 00:31:15,830 --> 00:31:18,310 it seemed that this apparently was not working. 592 00:31:18,311 --> 00:31:21,269 One of Green's searches was still seeing a heartbeat 593 00:31:21,270 --> 00:31:23,793 after taking an abortion pill. 594 00:31:23,794 --> 00:31:25,752 And all of these Google searches 595 00:31:25,753 --> 00:31:29,538 happened several months prior to Ms. Peters being murdered. 596 00:31:29,539 --> 00:31:32,977 - He obviously was searching for this method 597 00:31:32,978 --> 00:31:36,806 to get rid of the child, and when that didn't work out, 598 00:31:36,807 --> 00:31:40,245 it wasn't long after that Cornelius decides to 599 00:31:40,246 --> 00:31:41,856 segue into the murder business. 600 00:31:45,947 --> 00:31:48,731 [tense music] 601 00:31:48,732 --> 00:31:50,168 ♪ 602 00:31:50,169 --> 00:31:52,692 - We identified Cornelius Green 603 00:31:52,693 --> 00:31:55,303 researching abortion pills, 604 00:31:55,304 --> 00:31:58,524 researching ways to induce an abortion. 605 00:31:58,525 --> 00:32:01,657 - Cornelius made some fairly sinister efforts 606 00:32:01,658 --> 00:32:04,269 to get rid of this pregnancy. 607 00:32:04,270 --> 00:32:07,446 And when that didn't work, he arrived at the conclusion 608 00:32:07,447 --> 00:32:10,101 that Jocelyn Peters was a liability 609 00:32:10,102 --> 00:32:13,626 that he needed to get rid of. 610 00:32:13,627 --> 00:32:16,977 - That starts to build the motive and the means 611 00:32:16,978 --> 00:32:19,893 and the method of how this murder occurred. 612 00:32:19,894 --> 00:32:23,462 We further investigated Cornelius's cell phone data, 613 00:32:23,463 --> 00:32:27,031 and on February 28th Cornelius Green and Phillip Cutler 614 00:32:27,032 --> 00:32:30,599 had a conversation via text, where Green had said, 615 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,645 are you going to be coming into town? 616 00:32:32,646 --> 00:32:35,561 Cutler responds in the affirmative and asks, when? 617 00:32:35,562 --> 00:32:38,477 He says, March 20th. 618 00:32:38,478 --> 00:32:40,522 And Cutler says, OK. 619 00:32:40,523 --> 00:32:43,221 Don't forget to send the package. 620 00:32:43,222 --> 00:32:45,179 When I read it, I immediately thought, 621 00:32:45,180 --> 00:32:51,055 there was something of value sent from Green to Mr. Cutler. 622 00:32:51,056 --> 00:32:54,319 And I was able to reach out to the post office. 623 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,190 - There's a record of a transaction, 624 00:32:56,191 --> 00:32:59,759 where on March the 7th, just days prior to the murder, 625 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:04,024 he sent a package to Phillip Cutler in Oklahoma. 626 00:33:04,025 --> 00:33:06,461 ♪ 627 00:33:06,462 --> 00:33:09,290 - Which the police assume is the money to pay 628 00:33:09,291 --> 00:33:11,814 him to kill Jocelyn Peters. 629 00:33:11,815 --> 00:33:15,253 - This was obviously planning and premeditation 630 00:33:15,254 --> 00:33:17,472 on both Green and Cutler's part, 631 00:33:17,473 --> 00:33:20,649 with relation to Ms. Peters' murder. 632 00:33:20,650 --> 00:33:23,130 But at this point, Green had obtained 633 00:33:23,131 --> 00:33:25,785 an attorney so we could not bring him 634 00:33:25,786 --> 00:33:26,960 in and speak with him again. 635 00:33:26,961 --> 00:33:31,225 ♪ 636 00:33:31,226 --> 00:33:34,881 It was extremely challenging to keep moving forward. 637 00:33:34,882 --> 00:33:38,276 But then we'd received a call from the dance instructor 638 00:33:38,277 --> 00:33:41,235 of Carr Lane School, where Cornelius Green 639 00:33:41,236 --> 00:33:43,368 was the principal. 640 00:33:43,369 --> 00:33:46,545 We had learned approximately $2,700 had been 641 00:33:46,546 --> 00:33:51,289 stolen from Carr Lane School's dance program a few weeks prior 642 00:33:51,290 --> 00:33:52,986 to the murder of Ms. Peters. 643 00:33:52,987 --> 00:33:55,510 ♪ 644 00:33:55,511 --> 00:33:59,688 She said, on March 3rd she observed Cornelius Green 645 00:33:59,689 --> 00:34:04,215 in the area where the money had been taken and believed that he 646 00:34:04,216 --> 00:34:06,565 was, no doubt, involved. 647 00:34:06,566 --> 00:34:09,089 When asked about why it wasn't reported, 648 00:34:09,090 --> 00:34:12,092 she stated that she was extremely concerned 649 00:34:12,093 --> 00:34:14,529 with repercussions because he wielded 650 00:34:14,530 --> 00:34:17,097 a certain amount of authority over the school 651 00:34:17,098 --> 00:34:19,143 being the principal. 652 00:34:19,144 --> 00:34:21,580 We believe that $2,700 was the payment 653 00:34:21,581 --> 00:34:25,627 Cornelius Green sent to Phillip Cutler to kill Jocelyn Peters. 654 00:34:25,628 --> 00:34:28,761 ♪ 655 00:34:28,762 --> 00:34:31,764 As you progress through the investigation, the amount 656 00:34:31,765 --> 00:34:35,289 of circumstantial evidence that was obtained, 657 00:34:35,290 --> 00:34:38,118 it gave us the timeline, the motive, and the method 658 00:34:38,119 --> 00:34:41,208 of how this murder occurred. 659 00:34:41,209 --> 00:34:42,949 - There's no question that this was 660 00:34:42,950 --> 00:34:47,693 an elaborate, premeditated plan to end Jocelyn Peters' life 661 00:34:47,694 --> 00:34:51,436 and get rid of the baby that Jocelyn Peters was carrying. 662 00:34:51,437 --> 00:34:55,875 ♪ 663 00:34:55,876 --> 00:35:00,227 - In August of 2015, Ms. Peters became pregnant. 664 00:35:00,228 --> 00:35:02,577 - Then, just a few weeks in the pregnancy, 665 00:35:02,578 --> 00:35:05,189 Cornelius Green started searching 666 00:35:05,190 --> 00:35:06,973 ways to end a pregnancy. 667 00:35:06,974 --> 00:35:09,193 ♪ 668 00:35:09,194 --> 00:35:11,282 - Cornelius spent months trying to poison 669 00:35:11,283 --> 00:35:12,805 or kill the baby. 670 00:35:12,806 --> 00:35:15,721 And when that didn't work, on February 28th 671 00:35:15,722 --> 00:35:18,202 Cornelius Green arranges for Phillip Cutler 672 00:35:18,203 --> 00:35:20,160 to be the triggerman. 673 00:35:20,161 --> 00:35:22,423 - On March the 3rd, he stole money 674 00:35:22,424 --> 00:35:25,644 from Carr Lane Middle School. 675 00:35:25,645 --> 00:35:29,430 - On March 8th, Cornelius Green sent Phillip Cutler 676 00:35:29,431 --> 00:35:31,911 the money to murder Jocelyn. 677 00:35:31,912 --> 00:35:35,697 - On March 14th through the 18th, Cornelius 678 00:35:35,698 --> 00:35:40,746 takes Jocelyn and her family on a cruise for her birthday. 679 00:35:40,747 --> 00:35:43,836 We believe he was trying to throw them off. 680 00:35:43,837 --> 00:35:45,968 - Then March 20th Cornelius Green 681 00:35:45,969 --> 00:35:47,666 accompanied Jocelyn Peters 682 00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:49,320 to the grocery store, where they 683 00:35:49,321 --> 00:35:51,800 purchased the Russet potatoes. 684 00:35:51,801 --> 00:35:54,847 - And then he left them inside of the apartment 685 00:35:54,848 --> 00:35:56,370 for Mr. Cutler. 686 00:35:56,371 --> 00:36:00,331 - On March 21th, Phillip Cutler travels from Oklahoma 687 00:36:00,332 --> 00:36:02,202 to Saint Louis, Missouri. 688 00:36:02,203 --> 00:36:05,553 - Police believe the next day, Cornelius hands Phillip 689 00:36:05,554 --> 00:36:09,035 Cutler his .38-caliber gun and the keys 690 00:36:09,036 --> 00:36:10,689 to Jocelyn's apartment. 691 00:36:10,690 --> 00:36:14,867 - Then Cornelius Green takes an Amtrak to Chicago, 692 00:36:14,868 --> 00:36:17,652 as an alibi for himself. 693 00:36:17,653 --> 00:36:19,611 - In the middle of the night, Phillip Cutler 694 00:36:19,612 --> 00:36:23,702 goes into Jocelyn Peter's apartment. 695 00:36:23,703 --> 00:36:27,532 He uses a potato as a silencer, shoots 696 00:36:27,533 --> 00:36:31,536 her one time in the head, and kills her and her unborn child. 697 00:36:31,537 --> 00:36:33,494 ♪ 698 00:36:33,495 --> 00:36:38,717 - Next, Cornelius Green takes an Amtrak back to Saint Louis. 699 00:36:38,718 --> 00:36:41,850 - As he's on the train, Cornelius starts 700 00:36:41,851 --> 00:36:43,635 calling Jocelyn repeatedly. 701 00:36:43,636 --> 00:36:46,986 It was all just part of the ruse to make it look like he 702 00:36:46,987 --> 00:36:48,901 was concerned about her. 703 00:36:48,902 --> 00:36:53,819 - And then lastly, Cornelius Green goes to her apartment 704 00:36:53,820 --> 00:36:58,737 and calls 911 to report the death of Jocelyn Peters. 705 00:36:58,738 --> 00:37:00,956 ♪ 706 00:37:00,957 --> 00:37:04,786 - The level of planning that went on for this case 707 00:37:04,787 --> 00:37:06,223 was shocking. 708 00:37:06,224 --> 00:37:08,007 - That's his girlfriend. 709 00:37:08,008 --> 00:37:11,228 He's going to be the father of the child that she's carrying. 710 00:37:11,229 --> 00:37:13,752 This was a cold-blooded, horrific crime. 711 00:37:13,753 --> 00:37:16,624 - I don't know if Cornelius Green was a psychopath, 712 00:37:16,625 --> 00:37:18,757 but he should be in the psychology textbooks, 713 00:37:18,758 --> 00:37:20,628 because the cognitive sophistication 714 00:37:20,629 --> 00:37:23,936 that it would take to keep all of that separate, 715 00:37:23,937 --> 00:37:27,505 you have to be adept at compartmentalizing your life. 716 00:37:27,506 --> 00:37:29,768 - At that point, we knew that we needed to arrest 717 00:37:29,769 --> 00:37:33,293 both Cutler and Green for the murder of Jocelyn 718 00:37:33,294 --> 00:37:34,642 Peters and her unborn child. 719 00:37:34,643 --> 00:37:36,210 ♪ 720 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:42,041 - At this point, we have the abortion 721 00:37:42,042 --> 00:37:44,522 search history with Green. 722 00:37:44,523 --> 00:37:46,654 We have Cutler's cell phone data 723 00:37:46,655 --> 00:37:51,355 that puts him at the location of the victim's residence. 724 00:37:51,356 --> 00:37:54,314 We have the video surveillance of the vehicle 725 00:37:54,315 --> 00:37:56,229 that Phillip Cutler was in possession 726 00:37:56,230 --> 00:37:59,188 of turning onto the victim's street the night of the murder. 727 00:37:59,189 --> 00:38:02,801 So we were able to secure indictments against Mr. Cutler 728 00:38:02,802 --> 00:38:05,978 and Mr. Green for conspiracy to commit murder 729 00:38:05,979 --> 00:38:07,893 and committing murder-for-hire. 730 00:38:07,894 --> 00:38:09,895 - Cornelius is arrested first. 731 00:38:09,896 --> 00:38:12,158 Obviously, we wanted to get an opportunity 732 00:38:12,159 --> 00:38:14,378 to try and talk to him, but he doesn't make 733 00:38:14,379 --> 00:38:17,076 any statements at that time. 734 00:38:17,077 --> 00:38:20,209 - And then, we traveled to Muskogee, Oklahoma, 735 00:38:20,210 --> 00:38:22,908 and placed Phillip Cutler under arrest 736 00:38:22,909 --> 00:38:26,085 to be transported back to Saint Louis, Missouri. 737 00:38:26,086 --> 00:38:28,000 And in our post-arrest interview, 738 00:38:28,001 --> 00:38:30,829 he denied having anything to do with the murder 739 00:38:30,830 --> 00:38:33,135 of Jocelyn Peters. 740 00:38:33,136 --> 00:38:36,138 [somber music] 741 00:38:36,139 --> 00:38:38,140 ♪ 742 00:38:38,141 --> 00:38:40,752 - When they called and told me 743 00:38:40,753 --> 00:38:43,407 they had arrested both of them, 744 00:38:43,408 --> 00:38:46,584 I was, pretty much, in shock. 745 00:38:46,585 --> 00:38:51,110 I thought Cornelius was a good guy. 746 00:38:51,111 --> 00:38:53,286 - I was out to dinner with our school counselor, 747 00:38:53,287 --> 00:38:57,769 and it came across the news that he was arrested. 748 00:38:57,770 --> 00:39:01,033 And we just cried together. 749 00:39:01,034 --> 00:39:03,296 That was a life-changing day because it had taken 750 00:39:03,297 --> 00:39:05,820 so many months, and it finally had happened, 751 00:39:05,821 --> 00:39:08,910 and it was just a rush of emotion. 752 00:39:08,911 --> 00:39:11,304 - I was glad that it finally happened, 753 00:39:11,305 --> 00:39:14,786 but, you know, I just wanted my daughter and my 754 00:39:14,787 --> 00:39:19,312 granddaughter back. 755 00:39:19,313 --> 00:39:21,880 ♪ 756 00:39:21,881 --> 00:39:25,231 - This is certainly a chilling crime. 757 00:39:25,232 --> 00:39:27,668 A father and a principal at the school 758 00:39:27,669 --> 00:39:30,541 thought out a murder-for-hire plot. 759 00:39:30,542 --> 00:39:33,500 But, unfortunately, the COVID pandemic 760 00:39:33,501 --> 00:39:38,157 really threw a wrench into the criminal justice system. 761 00:39:38,158 --> 00:39:40,551 - Eight years go by before we actually go to trial. 762 00:39:40,552 --> 00:39:44,685 And prior to the trial date, Cornelius Green accepted 763 00:39:44,686 --> 00:39:47,471 a plea to plead guilty. 764 00:39:47,472 --> 00:39:51,475 - Cornelius agrees to life, with no parole. 765 00:39:51,476 --> 00:39:55,783 So the death penalty was off the table at this point, 766 00:39:55,784 --> 00:40:00,092 but Phillip Cutler takes it to a jury trial. 767 00:40:00,093 --> 00:40:02,094 - It was shocking that he wanted 768 00:40:02,095 --> 00:40:08,230 a trial, given the mountain of evidence there was against him. 769 00:40:08,231 --> 00:40:10,755 And how could you put this family 770 00:40:10,756 --> 00:40:12,932 through reliving all of this? 771 00:40:15,804 --> 00:40:17,762 From the beginning of the trial, 772 00:40:17,763 --> 00:40:19,981 there were members of Jocelyn's family 773 00:40:19,982 --> 00:40:24,769 and friends and coworkers that were in the courtroom. 774 00:40:24,770 --> 00:40:26,640 And there was really some outrage. 775 00:40:26,641 --> 00:40:29,513 How dare you? 776 00:40:29,514 --> 00:40:30,949 - I had to be there. 777 00:40:30,950 --> 00:40:33,778 I wanted to see him. 778 00:40:33,779 --> 00:40:37,390 I wanted to look at him, and I wanted him to know 779 00:40:37,391 --> 00:40:39,827 that I know what you did. 780 00:40:39,828 --> 00:40:41,481 - I was mad. 781 00:40:41,482 --> 00:40:46,486 He shot my baby in the face, right through the eye. 782 00:40:46,487 --> 00:40:49,968 I had just wanted to scream. 783 00:40:49,969 --> 00:40:52,361 - We look at this case, and you see 784 00:40:52,362 --> 00:40:54,973 the troubling sophistication of it. 785 00:40:54,974 --> 00:40:58,237 Hey, I'll go to the store and buy a sack of potatoes, 786 00:40:58,238 --> 00:41:01,153 and the potatoes will be in the apartment. 787 00:41:01,154 --> 00:41:03,721 Then when you get there, all you have to do 788 00:41:03,722 --> 00:41:05,984 is grab one and use it. 789 00:41:05,985 --> 00:41:10,554 - This was the most thought-out, premeditated 790 00:41:10,555 --> 00:41:12,773 crime that I had covered. 791 00:41:12,774 --> 00:41:16,081 And, Phillip Cutler, any point in time along the way, 792 00:41:16,082 --> 00:41:18,736 easily could have backed out and no one 793 00:41:18,737 --> 00:41:19,824 would have ever known. 794 00:41:19,825 --> 00:41:22,653 And he just didn't. 795 00:41:22,654 --> 00:41:24,959 - Phillip Cutler was found guilty 796 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:29,094 and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms 797 00:41:29,095 --> 00:41:32,576 in prison without parole for both 798 00:41:32,577 --> 00:41:35,579 the murder of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child, 799 00:41:35,580 --> 00:41:37,581 Micah Leigh. 800 00:41:37,582 --> 00:41:39,800 - There was just this huge sense of relief. 801 00:41:39,801 --> 00:41:43,500 He is going to pay for what he did. 802 00:41:43,501 --> 00:41:45,589 There's a special place in hell for him. 803 00:41:45,590 --> 00:41:47,765 [birds chirping] 804 00:41:47,766 --> 00:41:51,203 [somber music] 805 00:41:51,204 --> 00:41:55,642 - The hole in my heart is still there. 806 00:41:55,643 --> 00:42:01,039 It's not a day that I don't think about Jocelyn. 807 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,476 I can be driving down the street 808 00:42:03,477 --> 00:42:06,697 and see something that reminds me of her. 809 00:42:06,698 --> 00:42:12,180 She had a smile and a laugh that was contagious. 810 00:42:12,181 --> 00:42:15,619 She was all about helping kids and the community. 811 00:42:15,620 --> 00:42:19,666 So everybody in the family, we don't mind giving a helping 812 00:42:19,667 --> 00:42:22,800 hand to people that need it. 813 00:42:22,801 --> 00:42:26,630 That's how we keep her memory alive. 814 00:42:26,631 --> 00:42:29,198 ♪