1983

• Ellen Rae Greenberg, born on June 23, 1983, in New York City, was the only child of Joshua and Sandra Greenberg. 1994 The family moved to the Harrisburg from NY, Ellen attended Susquehanna Township Middle schools.

2007

In 2007 Ellen met her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, through a mutual friend and they went on a blind date.

2010

June 27, 2010

• After three years of dating, Sam proposed to Ellen on the beach during a trip to California. Ellen accepted his proposal, marking the beginning of their journey towards marriage in August 2011. Ellen Greenberg and Sam Goldberg moved to a modern apartment on the 6th floor with views of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.

December 2010

• The month leading up to her death, Ellen Greenberg’s parents and friends began to notice a significant change in her behavior. Ellen, who had always been cheerful and composed, became increasingly anxious and stressed. When questioned about these changes, Ellen attributed her anxiety to work pressures and the stress of planning her wedding, scheduled for August. In December 2010 Her anxiety reached a point where she even expressed a desire to quit her job and move back home with her parents. Ellen wanted to come home, surprising her parents with a text:
  

 “I want to leave this place. Get me out.” (Exhibit 2022-12-08)

• Shortly thereafter, Ellen had also asked a cousin who lived in the Philadelphia, PA area if she (Ellen) could temporarily move into the cousin’s home and stay with her family. When asked if her fiancé also would be joining her, Ellen did not respond.
• As Ellen’s anxiety continued to escalate and began affecting her sleep, her family urged her to seek professional help. Following their advice Ellen saw a psychiatrist on three occasions, who prescribed her Klonopin and Ambien. Klonopin, a long-acting benzodiazepine, was intended to help manage her anxiety and panic attacks, while Ambien was prescribed for her insomnia. Ellen initially reported to her loved ones that the medications seemed effective, and she felt better.

2011

January 8, 2011

• Ellen texted her mom, Sandra, “I’m starting the med I know u don’t understand but I can’t keep living with feeling this way,”

January 10, 2011 

• According to Authorities a few weeks before her death, her computer revealed searches for quick death. She also opened an article on euthanasia and browsed a website about painless suicide.

January 12, 2011

• Ellen seen psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Berman

Notes from a visit: wants things in control – my whole life hard worker – anxious not sleeping – job sucks

January 16, 2011

• Ellen made the last entry in her journal, about her medication use, she kept the journal in her purse.
  

January 17, 2011

• Ellen seen psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Berman. Notes from a visit:
• she wants to quit but mom and fiancée don’t want her to
• she can get out of contract with 2 weeks notice when she starts to work on something,
• she starts thinking about everything else
• not suicidal
  

January 19, 2011

• Ellen seen psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Berman. Notes from a visit:
• way better
• feels 75% better, agrees she should just get through til June
• she tends to walk around compulsively neatening up

January 22, 2011

• Ellen sent out her save-the-date cards for the wedding as they had set a date to get married in August 13, 2011 at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• That day She was also helping her close friend with upcoming wedding, That Saturday they went dress shopping for bridesmaids dress. While looking for bridesmaids dress Ellen began crying and told her friend “I’m so sorry, I know I’m not myself. But I’ll get it together.”‘
  

January 26, 2011

• 7:00 AM Ellen spoke to her mother.
• 12:00 PM Ellen received an text from a friend “Yah, you are getting out early” and replied with “Thank Goodness”
• 1:15 PM Ellen Greenberg left her job early as schools closed due to severe weather
• 1:26 PM Ellen stopped for gas. Topping off her tank ensured her fuel lines wouldn’t freeze during the massive winter storm. Ellen had used her Visa card at a gas station on Umbria Street, not far from Venice Lofts. She had spent $41.20 at Pump #4, filling her tank with 12.878 gallons of unleaded gasoline.
  
• 2:30 PM she makes a call to a local restaurant
• 2:33 PM – Ellen called someone call lasted 30 seconds
• In her apartment, she remotely entered the grades for her first-grade students
• 3:47 PM: Ellen Sends Her Final Text
• 4:45 PM Goldberg left the couple’s home around 4:45 p.m., surveillance at their apartment building captured Sam entering the on-site gym.
• 4:46 PM, Ellen uses her laptop.
• 5:30 PM Sam Goldberg exits the gym on the first floor of Venice Lofts Apartments (surveillance video). When he returned at 5:30 p.m., he found that he couldn’t enter the apartment because the door had a hotel room-style latch engaged from the inside. Despite using his key and banging on the door, Ellen did not respond or unlock it.
• 5:30 PM until 5:42 PM Sam calls Ellen and sends her texts from
• 5:54 PM5:32 PM – 5:54 5:32 PM Sam emailed and texted Ellen.

Samuel Goldberg sent Ellen text message:

• Hello
• open the door
• what r u doin
• im getting pissed
• hello
• you better have an excuse
• what the fuck
• ahhh
• u have no idea

Samuel then went downstairs to the lobby and asked Phil Hanton, the security guard, to help him break the lock. Phil refused as he told him it was against policy.

• 5:44 PM Neighbors heard Goldberg call Ellen’s name several times.
• Unknown Time: Sam Goldberg called Kamian Schwartzman to let him know he was locked out of his apartment and that Ellen was not responding to repeated telephone calls and texts to let him in. Kanin suggested to ask Security Doorman for help.
• 6:00 PM Sam went downstairs in the lobby requesting help from the doorman Phil Hanton, The doorman tells Sam that it is against policy for him to break down doors, but he can call Ellen. 
• 6:07 PM Ellen’s cell gets two calls from Venice Lofts, but no one answers.
  
• 6:10 PM Ellen’s cell gets another call from Venice Lofts, but no one answers. The doorman Phil Hanton offered to call the police.
• 6:14 PM Sam Goldberg calls Kamian Schwartzman to tell them that the security guard could not help.
• 6:23 PM: Sam Goldberg seen on surveillance camera enter elevator
• 6:26 PM: Sam Goldberg Answers a Phone Call from his cousin and uncle, His cousin and uncle instructed him to call 911.
  
• 6:28 PM Sam Goldberg is seen on the video going upstairs 
• 6:30 PM Sam went back up to the apartment and Kamian and James instructed Sam to force his way in. Sam stayed on the phone when he broke the door and forced his way into the apartment.
  
• 6:31 PM – Just inside the door, Samuel found Ellen slumped on the floor in the kitchen leaning against the cabinets. James and Kamian heard Sam scream. They instructed Sam Goldberg to call 911.
• 6.33 PM: Sam Goldberg called 911
• Samuel was instructed to remove Ellen’s sweater and to administer CPR, Goldberg lifted the Victim’s slouched head in order to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). At that moment, Goldberg discovered the knife lodged in the Victim’s chest. Operator instructed Sam Goldberg to stop administering CPR and Paramedics are on the way.
• 6:36 PM Emergency Responders Arrive On-Scene
• Emergency responders arrived at 6:36 p.m. and found Ellen in a semi-upright position between two corner cabinets. Ellen had been discovered seated on the kitchen floor inside her locked Manayunk apartment with a serrated knife plunged four inches into her chest.
• A strainer filled with blueberries and an orange, appearing freshly sliced, rested on the counter. Two clean knives were in the sink. And 20 stab wounds, with 10 alone to the back of Ellen’s neck, covered her body.
• 6:42 PM she was pronounced dead. When medics arrived they found Ellen in a semi-upright position between two corner cabinets.
  
• 7:30 PM James and Kamian Schwartzman arrived at the Venice Lofts Apartments, after they received multiple calls from Sam Goldberg
• 7:31 PM Officer Jamie Budd arrived, and requested the medical examiner
• 8:27 PM Detective arrived to the scene (20:27)

The photographs of the crime scene:

• Ellen Greenberg seated on the kitchen floor against the corner cabinet she is found slumped downward resting on her buttocks and lower back.
• Her arms are extended parallel to her upper body with both hands rotated slightly inward from the anatomical position.
• A white in color towel is noted clenched in her left hand which is also extended toward her feet. Her legs are extended with her feet rotated outward.
• She is wearing a pair of light brown tan in color UGG boots, a pair of gray in color sweatpants tucked into the boots, a dark gray in color zip-up sweatshirt and dark gray in color T-shirt underneath of the sweatshirt.
• Her head is noted to be turned to the right and tilted slightly forward with her chin resting on her right shoulder and the right side of her head resting against cabinet face.

The handle of a knife is present protruding from the upper left chest of Ms. Greenberg,

• Bloodstains are noted on the sweatshirt, sweatpants, boots, hands and face of Ms. Greenberg.
• Bloodstains are also noted on the floor immediately adjacent to her body and the cabinet faces adjacent to-her body.
• Two large knives are noted in the right side of the double sink.
• A kitchen knife block is noted on the counter in the corner, The knife block is overturned and two empty spaces are observed. A pair of eyeglasses is noted on the floor near her right hand. A “scrunchy” type elastic hair ties is noted on the around the right wrist. Detective Eelman Report
  
• 6:40 PM: Ellen Greenberg is Pronounced Dead
• Sam Goldberg Questioned by Police. After taking an initial statement from Goldberg, PPD officers accompanied him to a police station for further questioning and released him that evening.

Full Timeline

Note: All data has been collected from court records, family interviews, and publicly available sources. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, corrections, or suggestions. You can contact us through the form available here

Death Investigation Report by Stephen Olszewski: Read Report

8:27 PM: Detective arrived to the scene at 20:27 and was met by Fifth District Police, Snipes 6358 and Young 6960, holding the log. NWDD Sgt. Ferguson 446, Det Veal 9216 and Det Reve 9020, the assigned. DC 11-05- 001577. Homicide Sierra 9103 and Peters 851 arrived a short time later.

The decedents fiancé Samuel Goldberg DOB along with his family and some friends are also present.

• Ellen’s body was found on the hardwood kitchen floor, located just inside the door entrance.
• The decedent is found supine with her head and some of her upper body/shoulders resting against the lower half of the white kitchen cabinets next to the range.
• Her body, starting with the head is facing north and the legs west.
• She is clad in a zipper up dark colored shirt over-top a t-shirt, grey sweatpants, underwear, and light brown UGG boots.
• A pair of eyeglasses are on the floor to the right of the decedent.
• A white towel is grasped in her left hand.
• A hair tie or scrunchie is on her right wrist.
• There are no personal effects on the body.

Upon further examination of the body, the decedent has a knife embedded in her left chest, through her clothing. There are multiple stab wounds examined at the scene; at the chest where the knife is located, a few superficial grouped nearby, one to the left upper chest near the clavicle, 2 more at the mid chest between and just below the breasts. There are defects to the shirts consistent with the underlying wounds.

• There are no defense injuries to the hands, wrists or forearms.
• The right hand is closed in a loose fist.
• Postmortem findings at arrival at 20:27 and 21:55 are the same.
  The body is mostly flaccid. The hands appear to be slightly stiff.
• The body is cool to the touch at the extremities and warm to the touch at the torso, front and back.
• Lividity is inconspicuous.

Body:

Findings are consistent with current position of the body. Blood is present on the head, in tile hair and neck:

• The right hand has blood on it
• On the front side of her shirts, along her pants on tile front side and on the top of both of her boots is blood.
• The right boot has blood on the sole.
• The blood around her his generally confined to the area of the body, on the floor underneath and on the face of the cabinets behind her.
• One small blood spatter is on tile cabinet to the left of the body.
  
• Two separate drops of blood spatter are on the granite counter top above her.

Kitchen:

• Two kitchen knives are in the sink adjacent to the body. They are free of any blood or tissue.
• The sink underneath is dry and also bears no evidence of blood or tissue.
• A knife block is on the counter between the sink and range. It is turned over to the side.
• The three utensils are a spatula, fork and pearing knife, all that bears no evidence of blood or tissue.
• The knife in her body is consistent with the knife set found in the sink and in the block.

Bedroom:

Inside a bedroom drawer, Mr. Olszewski recovered the Victim’s prescription drugs, which included

• Two types of anti-anxiety medication and a sleep aid.
• The medication had been prescribed by Dr. Ellen Berman, a psychiatrist, who saw the patient on three occasions in the two weeks preceding her death.

Fiance Sam Goldberg Statement

• Goldberg told the officers who responded to the 9-1-1 call that he had left the couple’s sixth-floor apartment to visit their building’s gym at approximately 4:45 p.m.
• Approximately 45 minutes later, Mr. Goldberg said, he returned to the sixth floor but found the apartment door’s swing bar lock engaged from the inside.
• Goldberg explained that he returned to the building lobby to try to reach the Victim via cell phone calls and text messages. When approximately one hour had passed without a response, Mr. Goldberg said, he decided to enter the apartment by force.
• Goldberg stated that he returned to the sixth floor accompanied by a building security guard, later identified as Philip Hanton*, and forced open the door.
• Once inside, Mr. Goldberg discovered the Victim seated on the kitchen floor, with her head slouched over.
• Goldberg recounted that he immediately called 911. In accordance with the emergency operator’s instructions, Mr. Goldberg lifted the Victim’s slouched head in order to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). At that moment, Mr. Goldberg discovered the knife lodged in the Victim’s chest.
• Medics arrived and pronounced the Victim dead at 6:40 p.m.

Note: * In a written declaration Mr. Hanton stated that that he did not accompany Mr. Goldberg to the sixth floor on the night in question and was not present when Mr. Goldberg entered the apartment. Hanton Declaration

Key Observations from the Crime Scene Report

Apartment Condition

• Well-kept and clean, no signs of a struggle.
• No missing items, valuables untouched (suggests no robbery or forced theft).
• Three laptops found in different locations:
• One in the kitchen (likely Sam Goldberg’s).
• One in the master bedroom (Ellen’s personal laptop).
• One in another bedroom (likely her work laptop).

Locking Mechanism & Forced Entry

• The swing bar lock was broken with screws loose, indicating it was forced open.
• This contradicts any claim that Ellen was locked inside voluntarily and suggests an external force was needed to enter.

No Evidence of Suicide

• No suicide note or any clear indication of intent found in the apartment.
• No explicit messages on her devices indicating a final goodbye or self-harm intentions.

Rear Patio as an Alternate Exit

• Only other exit was the 6th-floor balcony.
• Snow was undisturbed, meaning no one left that way.
• This supports the theory that no intruder escaped via the balcony.

Weather Conditions & Apartment Temperature

• Winter snowstorm was ongoing.
• Apartment temperature 69°F.
• Further supports that Ellen had been inside for some time before her death.

Read Report

January 27, 2011

• Homicide Det Sierra and Peters notified of the death.
• Knife recovered during examination, signed over to homicide Detective Sierra
• The identification was completed via telephone by the decedents parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg. They were notified of the death by the parents of the decedents fiancee.

January 28, 2011

• Psychiatrist Ellen Berman records subpoenaed, placed in case file
• The identification was completed via telephone by the decedents parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg. They were notified of the death by the parents of the decedents fiancee.

Interview with Mom:

• Mom states she last talked to the decedent the same day at 07:00 when they were both on their way to work. They had a pleasant conversation. She gave no indication that something was imminently wrong. The decedent has been battling issues with anxiety since the end of last year. Mom states she was ” struggling with something”, for which she urged her to seek help. She was seeing a psychiatrist, Ellen Berman, in Merion Station. The decedent as described as anxious, insecure, not sure of herself and not liking how she felt, characteristics that were not the norm her entire life. The decedent expressed to family that she was a bit overwhelmed with her classroom work. The decedents occupation is a teacher for the School District of Philadelphia, currently teaching at Juniata Academy Elementary School, employed for 3 years. She is described as a bright woman, who was very successful and recently received her master’s degree in Education and certified in Reading specialty. The day the incident occurred is the same day that school grades were to be handed in. She may have been stressed about the schoolwork, as she is described as very caring for her students.

The decedent was in a committed relationship with Sam Goldberg. They have been together for 3 years, recently engaged over the summer. The parents have no reservations about their relationship. They described the fiance Sam as a

• “fine young man.”
• They were happy to have him as an in-law.
• They have no knowledge of any verbal or physical abuse.
• The parents deny any previous suicide attempts or ideations. The incident is a surprise to them despite her issues with anxiety
  

Death Investigation Report: 2011-01-26 Report of Death Investigation Detective Sierra

January 27, 2011, at 9 a.m., The autopsy report of Ellen R. Greenberg, conducted by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office on January 27, 2011, lists the cause of death as multiple stab wounds and the manner of death as homicide.

Key Findings:

• Multiple stab wounds to the chest, abdomen, and back of the neck.
• An incised wound on the right occipital scalp.
• Injuries affecting major internal structures, including:
• Aortic arch
• Upper lobe of the left lung
• Liver
• Cervical spinal cord (C2-C3 level)
• Presence of bilateral hemothorax (blood in both chest cavities).
• Knife found embedded in the chest wound, with a blade length of 12.5 cm.
• Bruising (contusions) on the upper and lower extremities, indicating possible prior trauma.

Internal Examination:

• No fractures to the facial bones, clavicles, sternum, or pelvic bones.
• No injuries to the tongue or oral cavity, which might suggest a lack of defensive struggle.
• Normal heart and coronary arteries.
• Presence of subarachnoid hemorrhage over the cerebellar hemisphere and vermis.
• No fractures to the skull base or calvarium.
• No brain herniation.

Notable Observations:

• The depth and severity of the wounds, particularly those to the chest, neck, and spinal cord, would likely impair movement or self-inflicted repetition.
• The stab wounds to the back of the neck raise serious doubts about the possibility of suicide, as this location is difficult to reach.
• The original ruling of homicide contradicts the later reclassification to suicide, which has sparked controversy in the case. Second Autopsy
  
• Other Findings: Hemorrhaging in soft tissues.

Cause and Manner of Death: The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was multiple stab wounds, and the manner of death was initially classified as homicide.

Incident Overview

• Date of Incident: January 26, 2011
• Time of Police Response: 6:33 PM
• Location: 4601 Flat Rock Road, Apt. #603
• Victim: Ellen Greenberg (27-year-old White Female)
• Height & Weight: 5’6″, 125 lbs
• Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds
• Initial Manner of Death Ruling: Homicide (per Dr. Osbourne, Medical Examiner)

Crime Scene Details

Victim’s Body:

• Found: Lying on the kitchen floor, resting against the lower kitchen cabinets.
• Position: Supine (lying on her back), head facing slightly north, legs west.
• Injuries: Multiple stab wounds, including one with a kitchen knife still protruding from her chest.
• Clothing: Wearing a dark gray hooded sweatshirt, light gray sweatpants, and tan UGG boots, all blood-stained.
• Left Hand: Holding an off-white towel (not visibly blood-stained).
• Right Hand: A pair of eyeglasses was found next to it.
• Right Wrist: Had a black hair tie (scrunchie).
• Face: Covered in blood.

Apartment Scene

• Front Door:
• Tan-colored with apartment number 603.
• A Jewish religious prayer inside a glass container was affixed to the right of the door.
• Lock was damaged—screws were partially pulled out.
• Interior Layout:
• Bathroom to the left after entering.
• Bedroom converted to a family room/work area:
• Closet inside the bedroom door.
• Sofa and footrest against the north wall.
• Table with four chairs against the south wall.
• Flat-screen TV on the east wall.
• School papers & test papers on the table.
• Blood Evidence:
• Blood was found on multiple pillows in the apartment.
• The location of the blood on the pillows raised further questions about whether the incident occurred in another part of the apartment before the body was found in the kitchen.
• The presence of bloodstains outside the immediate crime scene suggested possible movement of the victim or struggle before her death.

Autopsy & Medical Examiner’s Report

• Conducted at the Office of the Medical Examiner.
• Examiner: Dr. Osbourne.
• Findings:
• Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds.
• Manner of Death: Initially ruled Homicide.

Key Observations – Report

• Blood was found on pillows, indicating that she may have been injured in a different location before collapsing in the kitchen.
• Multiple superficial wounds were present along with deeper stab wounds.
• Her left hand held a towel with no visible bloodstains, raising questions about whether she attempted to stop the bleeding.
• The position of the knife in her chest and the multiple stab wounds raised suspicions about the nature of the attack.
• The police initially treated the case as a homicide, given the stab wounds and circumstances of her death.

January 27, 2011, 9:00 AM Dr. Marlon Osbourne performed Ellen Greenberg’s autopsy and initially ruled her death a homicide.

Since the police had left the scene after their initial response, they needed to prepare affidavits to obtain a search warrant to re-enter the apartment. By the time the warrant was secured, the apartment had already been cleaned by a crime scene cleanup crew hired by property manager Melissa Ware:

Apartment Crime Scene Cleanup:

Early Morning on January 27, 2011 Melissa Ware, Senior Property Manager at Venice Lofts Apartments, received a call from a male relative of Samuel Goldberg requesting access to retrieve personal items for the funeral.

After confirming with the Philadelphia Police Department that there were no entry restrictions, Ware called the fiancée’s Uncle and told him he could have access to the premises and relayed the PPD’s recommendation of a crime scene clean-up service. Without hesitation, Schwartzman agreed for the fiancé’s family to pay the costs for the crime scene clean-up service and Ware arranged for the services to be completed before Schwartzman and his son arrived at the complex. Arrangements were made with the Crime Scene Cleanup to clean up the apartment on the same day.

Once apartment was cleaned, she called James Schwartzman who showed up and removed not only a suit from the apartment but also Ellen’s purse, cell phone, and laptop.

• Before the cleanup, Ware supervised a video recording of Apartment #603 to document its condition. After completion, she informed Goldberg’s relative—believed to be his uncle—that the apartment was ready. She then granted him access and was present while he retrieved the requested belongings. Melissa Ware Statement
  

Search Warrant:

Dr. Osbourne initially concluded that the manner of the Victim’s death was homicide. As a result of his determination, PPD detectives obtained a search warrant identifying various items in the apartment “of evidentiary value in the investigation of a homicide by cutting instrument.” When the PPD detectives arrived to execute the warrant the day after the Victim was found, they discovered that the kitchen had been scoured and a number of the apartment’s contents removed. Search Warrant

January 28, 2011 – Ellen’s Funeral

• Ellen’s funeral takes place in Harrisburg, PA.
• Despite having possession of Ellen’s personal belongings, the fiancé’s family and attorney did not return them to Ellen’s parents.

January 29, 2011 – Police collected Laptops and Phone from Sam Goldberg’s uncle.

• item #1- White Apple Macbook laptop computer, Serial# 4585106S67C.
• item #2- White Apple Mac Book laptop computer, Serial# W880427L363.
• item #3- Black Apple Macbook laptop computer, Serial# W8744OSZ0HC.
• item #4- Purple ‘’SPECK” IPhone (AT&T), Model# MC608LL, Serial# 7U033CPXA4S, Ph# (717) 579-9258

Circumstances: Items secured for investigation regarding a Homicide Investigation at 4601 Flatrock Rd in Apt 603. Property Receipt

January 27, 2011 – Dr. Marlon Osbourne conducts Autopsy Report (Initial Ruling: Homicide)

• 20 stab wounds, including injuries to her chest, neck, and back of the head.
• One of the stab wounds penetrates 10 cm deep into her chest, piercing her aorta and lung.
• Several bruises in different stages of healing are found on her arms and legs.
• A knife from her kitchen set is identified as the weapon.
• Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds
• Manner of Death: Initially ruled as Homicide

February 2011 – Change in Unofficial Ruling to Suicide

• The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office reclassifies the manner of death from Homicide to Suicide based on additional investigations.

March 3, 2011 – PPD Meeting with Dr. Marlon Osbourne

• PPD demanded a face-to-face meeting about Ellen’s case with Osbourne and Gulino, Osbourne’s boss, which was also attended by a high-ranking representative from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.

April 4, 2011 – Official Report Released (Final Ruling: Suicide)

following meetings with investigators, Dr. Osbourne made an unprecedented decision to change his original ruling. He reversed his earlier classification of the death as a homicide and concluded that Ellen’s death was actually a suicide. sometime after the clandestine meeting had ended, Ellen’s Death Certificate Information was quietly updated from homicide to suicide.

The Medical Examiner’s Office finalizes its report, officially ruling Ellen Greenberg’s death a suicide. Key Evidence Considered:

• Neurophysiology’s Report: While her spinal dura was incised, the spinal cord was not penetrated, meaning she could still move after being stabbed.
• Locked Apartment Door: No signs of forced entry or a struggle.
• Toxicology Results: Traces of prescription medications (zolpidem, clonazepam, and alprazolam), commonly used for anxiety and sleep disorders.

Key Details from the Report:

• Autopsy Findings: The autopsy revealed that Ellen Greenberg sustained 20 stab wounds, including injuries to her chest, abdomen, and back of the neck. Notably, there was an incised wound on the right occipital scalp. One of the chest wounds had a knife with a 12.5-centimeter blade embedded to a depth of 10 centimeters. These injuries affected vital organs, including the aortic arch, upper lobe of the left lung, liver, and the cervical spinal cord at the C2-C3 level dorsally. Multiple contusions were also noted on both the upper and lower extremities in various stages of healing, suggesting some injuries occurred prior to her death.
• Toxicology Results: Toxicology tests indicated the presence of prescription medications in Ellen’s system, including zolpidem, clonazepam, and alprazolam. These medications are commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders.
• Scene Investigation: The report details that Ellen was found in her apartment with no signs of forced entry. The apartment door was locked from the inside, and there were no defensive wounds observed on her body. A knife was found protruding from her chest, and a knife block in the kitchen was missing a knife, consistent with the one found at the scene.
• Neuropathology Consultation: A neuropathological examination was conducted to assess potential damage to Ellen’s spinal cord. The findings indicated that while the dura (the outer membrane covering the spinal cord) was incised, the spinal cord itself was not penetrated, suggesting that she would not have been incapacitated by the neck wounds.
• Manner of Death Determination: Initially, the manner of death was classified as homicide. However, after further investigation, including the neuropathology consultation and consideration of the circumstances at the scene, the manner of death was reclassified as suicide.

After meeting with detectives and the board members, Dr. Osborne changed his initial findings, and ruled the death a suicide

January 11. 2012 report by Dr. Cyril Wecht, a renowned forensic pathologist, concerning the death of Ellen Greenberg. Dr. Wecht was commissioned by Greenberg’s family to conduct an independent review following the controversial ruling of her death as a suicide.

• Ellen’s parents hired Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist, to conduct an independent autopsy review.
• Dr. Wecht’s Key Findings:
• Unusual Nature of Stab Wounds:
• 20 stab wounds (including deep neck and back injuries) are highly inconsistent with suicide.
• Lack of Defensive Wounds:
• While Ellen had no clear defensive wounds, Dr. Wecht argues this does not prove suicide, as she could have been incapacitated early in an attack.
• Concerns Over Crime Scene Handling:
• The apartment was cleaned too soon, and key evidence may have been lost.
• Suspicious Nature of Injuries:
• Stab wounds to the back and neck raise doubts about whether she could have inflicted them herself.

Key Observations from Dr. Wecht’s Report:

• Multiple Stab Wounds: Dr. Wecht emphasized the unusual nature of the case, noting that Ellen sustained 20 stab wounds, including injuries to her chest, abdomen, and back of the neck. He highlighted that suicidal stab wounds are rarely multiple and that stab wounds to the back are particularly uncommon in suicide cases.
• Lack of Defensive Wounds: The report acknowledged the absence of defensive wounds on Ellen’s body. However, Dr. Wecht suggested that this does not conclusively indicate suicide, as the absence could be due to a “blitz” attack, where the victim is overwhelmed quickly and unable to defend herself.
• Scene Investigation: Dr. Wecht raised concerns about the crime scene management, noting that the apartment was cleaned before a thorough forensic examination could be conducted. He also pointed out that key items, such as Ellen’s personal electronics, were removed from the scene prematurely.
• Conclusion: Dr. Wecht concluded that the manner of Ellen Greenberg’s death is “strongly suspicious of homicide.” He recommended a comprehensive re-investigation, including a thorough review of all forensic evidence and witness statements.

3-dimensional female model was created based on the measurements in autopsy report

• 27 years old
• Height 5 foot 7 inches
• Weight 136 pounds
• The 3D model was brought into 3D editing software
• Cameras were placed in 3D space to match the autopsy photographs
• The exchangeable image file format (EXIF) data from the digital autopsy photographs were used to set the focal length of the computer cameras
• A computer generated 3D ruler was created based on the ruler evident in the autopsy photographs
• The 3D ruler was positioned in several of the camera views to match the autopsy photographs and confirm the scale
• The autopsy photographs were used to position the wounds and bruises on the 3D model

Greenberg v. Osbourne et al

Greenberg v. Gulino et al

Summary of Key Lawsuit Milestones

📌 2011 – Initial homicide ruling; later changed to suicide.
📌 2019 – Greenberg family files lawsuit against the Medical Examiner.
📌 2022 – Case transferred to Chester County for independent review.
📌 2023 – New forensic evidence from Dr. Lindsay Emery supports homicide ruling.
📌 2024 – Pennsylvania Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.
📌 2025 – Supreme Court expected to rule on the lawsuit. City Settled with Greenberg Estate. ME Office will re-evaluate Ellen’s manner of death.

January 28, 2011

• Autopsy Findings: Dr. Marlon Osbourne classified the death as a homicide.
• Search Warrant Executed but apartment was sanitized
  

January 29, 2011

• A police spokesperson said that despite the homicide ruling, authorities were “leaning” toward suicide in Ellen’s case and looking into “mental issues” she might have had. Lt. Raymond Evers emphasized that the case is still wide open, but he said he wanted to assure residents of Greenberg’s Manayunk neighborhood that there wasn’t “a maniac on the loose.”
• Cell Phones and Laptops are Retrieved by Police from James C. Schwartzman

March 3, 2011

• March, 2011, the PPD demanded a face-to-face meeting about Ellen’s case with Osbourne and Gulino, Osbourne’s boss, which was also attended by a high-ranking representative from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. following meetings with investigators, Dr. Osbourne made an unprecedented decision to change his original ruling. He reversed his earlier classification of the death as a homicide and concluded that Ellen’s death was actually a suicide.

March 7, 2011 Reversed Manner of Death:

• After initially ruling Ellen’s death a homicide, on March 7, 2011 the ME’s Office reversed itself and changed the manner of Ellen’s death to suicide, siding with police investigators.

“We couldn’t prove anything else,” McNamee said. “We were just letting things go where it went, and that’s where it went.”

April 1, 2011 Laptop Forensics

• Lab provided a search history from Ellen’s computer between Dec. 18, 2010, and Jan. 10, 2011, that was recovered by law enforcement’s Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL) and turned over to police on April 1, 2011. It included the search terms _suicide methods, quick suicide,_ and _painless suicide._

April 4, 2011,

• Osbourne reissued a death certificate reflecting that Ellen’s death had been declared a suicide.

April 15, 2011

• The MEO Investigation Report was revised to reflect that when the fiancé “forced entry into the apartment” “an apartment security man was reportedly present during the entry,” the very information Osbourne claimed he received at the clandestine meeting which he now claims convinced him to amend Ellen’s manner of death to a suicide

January 2012

• Greenberg Family ordered Ellen’s autopsy report, photos of her body from the autopsy, photos of her body at the scene, and the ME’s investigation report from the scene.

June 7, 2012

• The Greenberg’s commissioned forensic expert Dr. Cyril Wecht to conduct an independent review. Dr. Wayne K. Ross issued a report stating “The scene findings were indicative if a homicide”
• Dr. Cyril Wecht’s January 2012 report labeled it “strongly suspicious of homicide.”
• 2012 Wecht, MD, on the death of Ellen Greenberg

April 4, 2017

• Detective Scott Eelman Provided a report. He state that Ellen’s Body was moved. Report
  

It is my opinion,that Ms. Greenberg was not In the position in which she was found at the time that the blood was deposited on her sweat pants, sweat shirt and shoes. lts also my opinion that Ms. Greenberg’s head had been in several positions during the time of blood flow and it remained so for enough time as to have the blood flow across her face and back toward her ear, upward toward her eyes and also downward toward her chin.

It is my opinion that tho blood stain evidence in this case ls inconsistent with positioning which Ms. Greenberg was found. Furthermore. I have serious concerns regarding the patterned blood stain to the loft of Ms. Greenberg’s right leg, the minimal amount of bloodstains on the floor in comparison with those found on the clothing of Ms. Greenberg and the flow patients of the bloodstains on Ms. Greenberg’s face relative 10 the position in which she was found.

January 1, 2018

• Attorney Larry Krasner, who had represented the Greenberg family, was elected as Philadelphia District Attorney. He referred the Greenberg case to the attorney general’s office due to a conflict of interest, as he had previously represented the Greenberg family. Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office was tasked with reviewing Ellen Greenberg.
  

January 28, 2018

• Dr. Henry-C.Lee-PhD issued a report stating:

“The number and type of wounds and bloodstain patterns are consistent with a homicide. Report

June 2019

• Greenberg’s compiled a wealth of evidence and expert opinion that Ellen did not or could not commit suicide, the family submitted their findings to the MEO, including the various collected expert reports, and asked Dr. Gulino to reconsider the case.
• The family also provided this information and a similar request to Dr. Osbourne hoping that, as the pathologist responsible with sole statutory authority to amend his prior certificate, he would agree to review the new information as required and correct his prior suicide finding.

August 29, 2019

Dr. Emery completed her examination of Ellen’s remains and determined one of the stab-wounds was administered postmortem. Report

• According to Emery, sometime before August 29, 2019, she was approached by Gulino, who handed her containers, one of which contained the 8.5 cm segment of Ellen’s spinal cord that had been removed and preserved at autopsy by Osbourne. 210. Emery claims that Gulino asked her, “Hey would you mind taking a look at this case from 2011 [Ellen’s case], just the neuropathology relevant materials, and let me know what you think about it.” 211. According to Emery, despite Osbourne’s claim in 2011 about having involved Rorke-Adams, Gulino was skeptical that any neuropathologist actually had ever looked at or examined the segment. Emery stated she performed a thorough gross and microscopic examination, commonly referred to as a histologic examination, of the segment. Following her thorough examination of the segment, Emery reached the following professional conclusion: Ellen was already dead by the time the cut to her spinal column on January 26, 2011—captured in the limited specimen Emery examined—was administered.

Dr. Emery’s examination revealed Ellen’s stab wounds were inflicted after she died (postmortem), it would strongly suggest that her death was not a suicide, but the fact that the medical examiner, Gulino, claims he was not informed of this crucial detail by Emery could raise questions about whether the investigation was properly conducted and could potentially lead to a re-evaluation of the case

October 15, 2019,

• Ellen’s parents in their capacity as administrators of the Victim’s Estate, filed a civil lawsuit Against the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office seeking to overturn the suicide ruling. During the course of pre-trial discovery, the parties submitted several exhibits as evidence.
• The building’s property manager, Melissa Ware, explained that an unnamed PPD representative had advised her to call a third-party service to have the apartment thoroughly cleaned. Declaration
  
• a written declaration from Mr. Hanton, the security guard who was on duty at the apartment building on the night of the Victim’s death. R.R., Hanton Declaration. Contrary to Mr. Goldberg’s account, Mr. Hanton maintained that he did not escort Mr. Goldberg to the sixth floor, nor was he present when Mr. Goldberg forced open the apartment door. Declaration of Philip Hanton – Doorman The Parents also presented still images from surveillance footage, which confirmed that Mr. Goldberg went up to the apartment alone

January 2020

• The judge ruled that the case could move forward. The court proceedings were on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but started moving forward in 2021.

October 2021

• Judge Glynnis D. Hill ruled in October 2021 that the civil suit filed by Ellen’s parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg of Harrisburg, against the Medical Examiner’s Office and Dr. Marlon Osbourne could proceed to trial.

February 2020:

• The Greenberg family’s lawyers file motions to obtain full forensic evidence from the original investigation.

November 2020:

• A Philadelphia judge dismisses part of the lawsuit, citing procedural issues but allows the case to continue.

January 2021:

• Goldberg’s learned about the existence of the surveillance video on January 28, 2021, when a copy was provided to their counsel—but only after counsel, who had been repeatedly told the PPD did not possess videotape from the apartment complex, refused to accept these representations and threatened to involve the Court. Following the threat, the videotape was “miraculously” discovered and produced 11 months after Plaintiff’s counsel’s initial request. That video—a still frame of which is reproduced below—clearly depicts the fiancé enter the elevator by himself at 6:32 PM.

March 2021:

• The Greenberg’s legal team introduces new forensic evidence, arguing that:
• Some of Ellen’s wounds would have incapacitated her, making self-infliction impossible.

May 11, 2021:

• Goldberg’ s and their Attorney learned for the first time that the findings and conclusions by Emery from her thorough August 2019 examination of a stab wound in a specimen taken from Ellen at autopsy (an examination ordered by her boss, Gulino, the former Chief Medical Examiner), definitively established that the wound was inflicted postmortem, after Ellen was already dead.

April 20, 2021

• Gulino testified that he “did not find reason to overturn Dr. Osbourne’s opinion” that Ellen’s death was a suicide (see July 2022).

July 2, 2021

• July 2, 2021, through public filings, served on the City in the earlier related case, they were made aware of the video footage and the significant information it conveys about the whereabouts and interactions of Ellen’s fiancé prior to the 9-1-1 call, as well as Hanton’s denial of having accompanied Ellen’s fiancé to the apartment before and during the fiancé’s alleged forced entry into the apartment.

August 2021

• Pennsylvania State Police officers interviewed Gulino about Ellen’s case, focusing on whether it was a suicide or homicide. Gulino told the officers that he did not specifically recall Emery telling him the wound he asked her to examine in Ellen’s case was inflicted postmortem. But he told the same officers that Emery’s conclusion that one of Ellen’s wounds was administered postmortem compelled that Ellen’s manner of death must be amended from suicide.

September 2021:

• The lawsuit continues despite opposition from Philadelphia city officials, who defend the original suicide ruling.

October, 2021

• Judge Glynnis D. Hill ruled in October 2021 that the civil suit filed by Ellen’s parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg of Harrisburg, against the Medical Examiner’s Office and Dr. Marlon Osbourne could proceed to trial.

The Greenberg’s are seeking to have the manner of their daughter’s death officially changed back to homicide or undetermined. This change would potentially allow for the reopening of the investigation and the filing of a wrongful death or misconduct lawsuit against the city.

Following Judge Hill’s decision, the city filed an appeal, arguing that Hill’s ruling was “an egregious abuse of discretion that ignored binding precedent.” The city contended that even if the medical examiner’s findings were flawed, the law does not compel a change in the manner of death.

December 10, 2021

• Greenberg’s attorney provided “numerous additional materials to the AG’s Office in response to the AG’s statement to the press that the AG would review new material if the material was supplied.”

February 2022

• The court heard arguments from Joseph Podraza, the Greenberg’s attorney, and Kelly Diffily, a senior attorney with the city’s Law Department, at the Widener Building in Center City.

February 4, 2022

• The Commonwealth Court granted the city’s petition and ordered the civil trial be placed on hold, pending a decision in the appeal case.

July 2022

• Gulino repeated representations under oath from April 20, 2021, except this time while being deposed in his capacity as an expert witness In response to a question about Ellen’s case, Gulino testified, under oath, that

“I’m not convinced that [Dr. Osbourne’s determination of suicide] was incorrect.” 

Counsel further pressed Gulino about Ellen’s case, asking:

“So if we said to the jury that Dr. Gulino is the doctor who ultimately approved an opinion that a woman who was stabbed 37 [sic] times had committed suicide, would that be true?” 

Gulino answered: “It would. Approved, I suppose, yeah. I mean – it’s not something, you know, like thing that I signed that says I approved this. It’s a determination. But it wouldn’t be an improper or an incorrect characterization of what I had found, of what happened.

• Gulino has made conflicting statements about Ellen’s case to Pennsylvania law enforcement officers, ostensibly to protect himself from the criminal consequences arising from lying to the authorities.

August 2022:

• The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office recuses itself from handling the case to avoid conflicts of interest.
  
• The case is transferred to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office for independent review.

March 2023:

• Dr. Lindsay Emery, a forensic neuropathologist, conducts an independent analysis and finds that:
• Ellen’s spinal dura was punctured, meaning she should have been incapacitated before she could have inflicted additional stab wounds.
• This directly contradicts the suicide ruling.

May 2023:

• The Greenberg family’s attorneys submit Dr. Emery’s findings to court as new forensic evidence supporting a homicide ruling.

July 2023:

• A Philadelphia judge rejects an appeal from the city to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing the case to proceed.

October 24, 2023

• Greenberg argued that in 2011, the PPD had seized from the apartment complex the very videotape footage which conclusively refutes that Hanton escorted Ellen’s fiancé as was misrepresented to Osbourne at that meeting.

July, 2024,

• The Petition for Allowance of Appeal is Granted

August 2024

• The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agrees to hear arguments challenging the suicide ruling.
• This is a major legal victory for the Greenberg family, as the court’s decision could pave the way for a full criminal investigation.

November 8, 2024

• The Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced an update in the investigation related to the death of Ellen Greenberg. The DA office is currently unable to move forward with criminal charges and is placing the investigation into an inactive status. Update
  

December 11, 2024,

• Oral argument held in a Philadelphia courtroom as part of a 2022 lawsuit the Greenberg’s filed that accuses local officials and the medical examiner’s office of covering up their daughter’s death and participating in a “concealed conspiracy for the purpose of disguising Ellen’s homicide as a suicide,” according to legal documents. Assistant Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne initially ruled her death a homicide, but changed it to suicide after a meeting with police and prosecutors. A judge told her parents Josh and Sandee Greenberg that the decision to switch the ruling baffled him as well. Judge Michael Erdos made the comments during a hearing as part of the parents ongoing lawsuit they filed that accused officials of covering up their daughters death.

February 2, 2025

The Greenberg’s reached a settlement with the city, which has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount. Additionally, the Medical Examiner’s Office will re-evaluate Ellen’s manner of death. Josh and Sandee consider Osbourne’s verification sufficient.

“To us, it means that we’ve accomplished our role that Ellen did not commit a suicide. Here you have the original pathologist, finally, after 14 years after Ellen’s death and five years of litigation acknowledging that her manner of death should not be suicide but should be deemed something else,” said Joe Podraza, the Greenberg family’s attorney.

The Greenberg’s have argued since 2021 that a reexamination of forensic evidence shows Ellen could not have caused some of the wounds — at least one was caused after she had died, according to medical tests contained in court filings.

February 6, 2025

Speaking on Thursday, Shapiro mentioned that at one point, the Greenberg family requested that his office stop reviewing the case. He also declined to comment on the City of Philadelphia’s recent reclassification of Greenberg’s manner of death.

“We transferred it to the Chester County District Attorney, if my memory serves me,” Shapiro said. “They reviewed it for a couple of years and reached the same conclusion.”

Shapiro emphasized that it is now up to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office to decide whether the new classification from the medical examiner warrants reopening the case.

“There has to be new evidence, not just a change in opinion,” Shapiro said. “If the medical examiner has uncovered new evidence, I am not familiar with it, as I am no longer Attorney General. If they have new evidence, they should share it immediately.”

Shapiro also expressed frustration over claims of “new information” that did not actually introduce anything previously unknown.

“As a father of four, my heart breaks for the Greenberg family. No family should ever have to bury a child,” Shapiro said. “There was nothing I wanted more than to give these parents finality, clarity, and answers. But the additional evidence we reviewed during our investigation did not support what they hoped to find—it, in fact, reinforced the initial determination of suicide.”

Note: All data has been collected from court records, family interviews, and publicly available sources. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, corrections, or suggestions. You can contact us through the form available here

One of the first people at the scene of Ellen Greenberg’s gruesome death is speaking out publicly about what he saw. Captain Carl Pfeifferle said he was “suspicious” when he walked into Greenberg’s apartment. Pfeifferele recalled seeing the knife in Greenberg’s chest and how “it didn’t fit” while asking himself, “Could she have done this by herself?” NewsNation senior national correspondent Brian Entin talks with Captain Carl about his thoughts on the case in this episode of “Entin Across America,” a NewsNation and Law&Crime collaboration. Link