Medical Examiner Admits Ghastly Mistake in Death Ruling

A sense of relief is finally setting in for the family of Philadelphia teacher Ellen Greenberg, whose mysterious death in 2011 is back under scrutiny after being ruled a suicide more than a decade ago. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office recently reversed the initial cause of death, offering validation to Greenberg's parents after their tireless efforts to uncover the truth about what really happened to their daughter.

Bizarre Suicide Ruling

Greenberg, a 27-year-old teacher, was found dead in her apartment in 2011 with 20 stab wounds, including 10 to the back of her neck and head. Initially, investigators classified her death as a homicide because several wounds and bruises appeared inconsistent with self-infliction. However, after a closed-door meeting with investigators, the medical examiner abruptly reclassified her death from homicide to suicide. Now more than a decade later, the case is being reinvestigated due to new evidence and the relentless advocacy of Greenberg's family.

It has been 14 years since Greenberg was found in her kitchen during a blizzard on Jan. 26, 2011, with 20 stab wounds and a knife in her chest. A half-made fruit salad remained on the countertop, adding to the bizarre circumstances surrounding her death.

Red Flags Ignored

During the initial investigation, several red flags in the case puzzled forensic experts and fueled public outrage. Ellen's body showed multiple stab wounds to areas that would be nearly impossible for a person to self-inflict. However, her apartment door was locked from the inside, leading investigators to initially dismiss the possibility of foul play. Forensic pathologists have argued that the number and placement of the wounds raise serious doubts about the original suicide ruling.

Additionally, friends and colleagues of Ellen have described her as a happy and upbeat person with no history of mental health struggles severe enough to suggest suicide. This discrepancy between her demeanor and the circumstances of her death has further fueled suspicions that her case was mishandled from the start.

Troubling Details From the Night of Ellen's Death

The events leading up to Ellen's death and the handling of the crime scene have raised serious questions about the initial investigation. On the evening of Jan. 26, 2011, Ellen's fiancé, Sam Goldberg, says he returned home from the gym to find the apartment door locked from the inside. He reportedly sent Ellen a series of increasingly frantic text messages between 5:32 p.m. and 5:54 p.m., including: "open the door," "what r u doin," "you better have an excuse," and "ahhh," as reported by the New York Post.

When Ellen failed to respond, Goldberg says he forced his way into the apartment, where he found her in the kitchen with 20 stab wounds and a knife still lodged in her chest. He called 911 at 6:33 p.m., and paramedics pronounced Ellen dead shortly after.

The Greenbergs have argued that Ellen's injuries and the crime scene itself point to a homicide, not a suicide. Ellen was covered in bruises in different stages of healing, suggesting possible long-term abuse. Her father has publicly stated that he suspects his daughter was being abused before her death. Despite this, the initial investigation ruled out foul play because the apartment door was locked from the inside.

Questions have also been raised about how the crime scene was handled. Court documents revealed that authorities allowed the scene to be professionally cleaned and sanitized before detectives arrived with a search warrant. Even more concerning, Goldberg's uncle, James Schwartzman, a prominent Pennsylvania judge, was permitted to enter the apartment and remove Ellen's computer and cellphone. The Greenbergs' legal team has argued that this unusual access and the premature cleanup may have destroyed key evidence, further complicating efforts to uncover the truth about Ellen's death.

The Fight for Justice

For years, Greenberg's parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg, have maintained that their daughter's death was not a suicide. Armed with forensic evidence and expert testimony, they fought tirelessly for a reexamination of her case. Their persistence paid off when the medical examiner finally agreed to change the cause of death from "suicide" to "something other than suicide," as reported by NBC Philadelphia. This shift has opened the door for further investigation, offering renewed hope that the truth behind Ellen's death will finally be uncovered.

The Greenbergs also filed a lawsuit against the city in 2022, citing negligence and demanding a thorough investigation. In the lawsuit, they accused local officials and the medical examiner's office of conspiring to cover up their daughter's death by intentionally misclassifying her homicide as a suicide to hide investigative failures, according to court documents. A judge reviewed their case and motioned it to move to trial.

As part of the recent settlement, the family agreed to drop the lawsuit, with the agreement that the case will be reinvestigated. Although the details of the settlement remain confidential, the parents view this development as a step in the right direction.

Adding to the complexity of the case, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the forensic pathologist with the city medical examiner's office, retracted his initial suicide ruling, stating, it is his "professional opinion Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide," as reported by ABC News. He further explained that new information, which was not available when he issued the amended death certificate, might have influenced his decision at the time.

A Case Far From Closed

While the medical examiner's reversal and the settlement offer some vindication, Ellen Greenberg's case is far from over. Philadelphia authorities are now faced with the task of thoroughly reinvestigating her death and addressing the serious questions that have lingered for more than a decade. The Greenbergs remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice for their daughter, hoping that new evidence will finally bring closure and accountability.

The reinvestigation marks a crucial turning point in this decade-long saga, with many hoping it will finally reveal the truth behind the teacher's tragic and mysterious death.

References: Teacher's stabbing death to be revisited after medical examiner walks back ruling of suicide | Death of teacher with 20 stab wounds to be reinvestigated after reversed suicide ruling | Judge allows Ellen Greenberg's parents to take Philadelphia city officials to trial for emotional distress | Judge dumbfounded by error in Ellen Greenberg 'suicide' probe —after teacher was found stabbed 20 times