Ellen Greenberg case: New review reaffirms suicide ruling, sparking backlash from her legal team

Ellen Greenberg, a teacher in Philadelphia, was found dead in her kitchen back in 2011, with twenty stab wounds and lots of bruises all over her body. The authorities labeled it a suicide, yet her parents wouldn’t accept that, believing instead that someone had killed her.

Their relentless pursuit of answers over the past 14 years has fueled multiple lawsuits, news stories everywhere, a petition boasting over 167,000 names - now even a Hulu show, Death in Apartment 603. Just earlier this year, the pathologist who conducted Greenberg's autopsy publicly reversed his conclusion, acknowledging he no longer believed her death was self-inflicted.

Philadelphia medical examiner confirms Ellen Greenberg's death as a suicide after a comprehensive review

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office has stood by its finding that Ellen Greenberg's death was a suicide. In a 32‑page report issued Monday, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lindsay Simon wrote that on Jan. 26,  2011, when the school teacher's life ended, she was dealing with a spike of anxiety linked to the pressures of grading her students' work.

Although a few of the knife injuries she sustained, such as the cut at the back of her neck, appeared atypical in their arrangement, Simon stressed that they nonetheless fit the profile of self‑inflicted wounds, citing the presence of hesitation marks that often precede an act. The report underscores that, with the characteristics of the injuries, Greenberg was capable of delivering them to herself.

Ellen Greenberg's passing sparked considerable interest when her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, discovered her - he immediately alerted the police. The medical examiner determined their connection wasn't marked by abuse; moreover, his DNA wasn't located on the weapon used. Records from Goldberg's phone, building security cameras, and access logs, alongside statements to officers, corroborated his account, according to CNN US.

Investigators also noted Greenberg lacked defensive injuries, nor did the home show evidence of a fight. Following examination of the autopsy report, police files, pictures, plus statements from various experts - even those brought in by the Greenbergs themselves - along with a streaming show detailing everything, opinions solidified.

Greenberg family disputes medical examiner's findings, demands further justice

Nevertheless, the family lawyer pushed back, claiming crucial clues pointing to wrongdoing alongside information concerning Greenberg's state of mind went unheeded; they also doubted the medical examiner's judgment.

Ellen Greenberg's family keeps pressing for answers while the dispute, over how her death was handled, drags on. Their attorney, Trask, speaking on behalf of Josh and Sandee Greenberg, has slammed a report, calling it "an embarrassment" for the city and a slap in the face to their search for truth. Trask said in a statement (via CNN US):

"This report is an embarrassment to the City and an insult to Ellen and her family... Ellen's family just wanted the truth. It is clear the truth will not come from Philadelphia's law enforcement machinery. Though Ellen's city turned its back on her, we will continue through other avenues to get justice for her murder, by any means necessary."

They contend that Philadelphia's law‑enforcement system has failed to deliver justice, so they're now exploring avenues to resolve the case. At the beginning of the year, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office agreed to re‑examine Ellen's case as part of a settlement with the Greenbergs, a deal that also included a cash payment while the city carefully avoided any admission of liability. In a proceeding, the lawsuit against Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the pathologist who initially shifted Ellen's death ruling from homicide to suicide, was resolved after he revisited the evidence and formally revised his opinion.

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