Case overview
Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old Philadelphia teacher, was found dead in her apartment in January 2011 with 20 stab wounds, including ten to her back and neck. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office initially ruled her death a homicide, then changed the manner of death to suicide weeks later. Her parents have contested that determination for over a decade, pointing to forensic evidence they argue is inconsistent with self-infliction.
The scene and initial response
On January 26, 2011, Ellen Greenberg’s fiancé, Samuel Goldberg, returned to their sixth-floor apartment in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia and found the door locked from the inside with the swing bar engaged. He forced entry and discovered Greenberg in the kitchen, slumped against a cabinet with a ten-inch serrated knife in her chest. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene.
Police noted the apartment showed no signs of forced entry or struggle. The swing bar lock could only be engaged from inside. Greenberg had been alone in the apartment during a snowstorm that had kept her home from work that day.
Autopsy findings and the ruling reversal
The initial autopsy conducted by Dr. Marlon Osbourne on January 27, 2011, documented 20 stab wounds. Ten were to her back and neck, some penetrating deep into muscle tissue. Additional wounds were found on her chest, abdomen, and the back of her head. Dr. Osbourne noted bruising in various stages of healing on her right arm, left hand, and legs.
On January 28, Dr. Osbourne classified the manner of death as homicide. Two weeks later, after meetings with police and prosecutors, the ruling was changed to suicide. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office maintained that all wounds were self-inflicted and consistent with suicidal behavior.
Forensic disputes and expert review
The Greenberg family retained independent forensic pathologists who challenged the suicide determination. Dr. Cyril Wecht reviewed the case in 2012 and concluded that several wounds, particularly the deep stab wounds to the back of the neck and the pattern of injuries, were not consistent with self-infliction. He noted that the knife had penetrated Greenberg’s brain and questioned whether someone could continue inflicting additional wounds after such trauma.
Other experts hired by the family pointed to specific forensic details: the absence of hesitation wounds typically seen in suicide by stabbing, the location and depth of posterior wounds, and bruising that suggested defensive injuries. A 2019 report by forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne Ross identified what he described as irregularities in the wound pattern and questioned the feasibility of self-infliction given the severity and location of multiple injuries.
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office and the Philadelphia Police Department maintained their findings. No arrests were made, and the case was not pursued as a homicide investigation.
Legal challenges and procedural battles
In 2019, the Greenberg family filed a civil lawsuit seeking to compel the City of Philadelphia to change the manner of death ruling from suicide to homicide or undetermined. The suit named the Medical Examiner’s Office and the City of Philadelphia, arguing that the suicide determination was unsupported by the forensic evidence and had foreclosed any criminal investigation.
In 2021, a Philadelphia judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the family lacked standing to challenge the Medical Examiner’s determination in civil court. The judge noted that the manner of death classification falls within the Medical Examiner’s authority and that altering such a determination would require action by that office or a criminal proceeding.
The Greenberg family appealed. In 2022, a Pennsylvania appellate court reversed the dismissal and allowed the case to proceed, finding that the family had sufficient interest in correcting what they alleged was an inaccurate official record. The case was remanded for further proceedings.
Unresolved questions and ongoing scrutiny
Key forensic and procedural questions remain unanswered. The reversal of the initial homicide ruling within weeks, the involvement of law enforcement in that decision, and the absence of a clear explanation for how all 20 wounds could have been self-inflicted have fueled continued public and legal scrutiny.
The Greenberg family has maintained that their daughter was the victim of homicide and that the investigation was prematurely closed. They have called for an independent review of the case and the reopening of the investigation based on the forensic evidence they argue contradicts the official conclusion.
As of 2025, the civil case remains in litigation. No criminal charges have been filed, and the Philadelphia Police Department has not reopened the case as a homicide investigation. The manner of death remains officially listed as suicide.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “The Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg” (Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Morbid: A True Crime Podcast” (Audiochuck)
- Podcast: “Crime Junkie” (Audiochuck)
