[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
The tragic case of Ellen Greenberg hasn’t sat right with a lot of people for a lot of years… But we’re unfortunately no closer to justice now than we were 14 years ago.
The Head-Scratching Case
If this is the first time you’re hearing her name, Ellen made national news in 2011 when she was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment by her fiancé Sam Goldberg. She had over 20 stab wounds, including to the head, neck, back, and heart. When Ellen’s body was discovered in the apartment, the knife was firmly plunged into her chest and she was covered in bruises, all in different stages of healing.
What comes to mind for you after reading this? Homicide, right? We’re no experts, but that’s a murder scene, right?
Well, that’s what then-assistant medical examiner Dr. Marlon Osbourne ruled, too — but not for long. Within weeks, the assistant ME shockingly changed Ellen’s manner of death to suicide after meeting with the Philadelphia Police Department. The change stopped any traction in a criminal investigation dead in its tracks, and a possible killer was never identified. And while many have had their suspicions about Sam, he was never named a suspect or charged with a crime in the case.
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Absolutely shocking and outrageous, right?? How could Ellen possibly stab herself 20 times — including in the BACK?? What were the bruises from?! It’s all just so dumbfounding. And if you’re upset just reading it, think how much of a gaping hole this lack of justice has left in the hearts of the late 27-year-old’s parents…
For 14 years, Sandee and Josh Greenberg have fought for answers. They hired private investigator Thomas Brennan, forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, who determined that Ellen’s wounds were NOT self-inflicted, and forensic neuropathologist Dr. Wayne Ross, who uncovered evidence of a possible strangulation. He even went as far as to theorize that Ellen’s death scene was staged, according to People.
Family’s Pursuit of Justice
The grief-stricken parents filed a lawsuit against the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office and Osbourne in 2019, and a subsequent one in 2022 against the City of Philadelphia, former Chief Medical Examiner Sam Gulino, and more. The family’s attorney Joe Podraza claimed the investigation into Ellen’s death was so “deeply botched” that it resulted in a “cover-up.”
Fast forward to February of this year. The lawsuits were settled after an agreement to a monetary payout was made, and a promise that the city would reopen and reevaluate Ellen’s case. Since then, two major things have happened: 1.) Osbourne has gone on record to switch up YET AGAIN, claiming he no longer believes Ellen’s death was the result of a suicide. And 2.) the docuseries Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg? dropped, bringing TONS of attention to the case. But in the end, neither were enough to help sway the city’s official stance on Ellen’s death.
Medical Examiner’s Official Reevaluation
In a lengthy 32-page review finally published earlier this month, Philadelphia Chief Medical Examiner Lindsay Simon maintained Ellen did die by suicide. In the report, which was obtained by People, the Medical Examiner’s office was “asked to conduct an independent and unbiased review of all available materials relating to the death of Ellen Greenberg.”
In said review, Simon claimed she reviewed information brought forth by Brennan, Wecht, and Ross. In her analysis, Simon argued:
“While the distribution of injuries is admittedly unusual, the fact remains that Ellen would be capable of inflicting these injuries herself.”
Seriously?!
She went on to describe Ellen as “young woman suffering from anxiety” prior to her death. That’s enough reason to assume suicide?? She also noted for all those suspecting Goldberg that “the fiancé’s DNA was not detected on the knife used to inflict the injuries.” So it’s more likely she stabbed herself 20 times than that someone wiped the knife? The Medical Examiner also claimed there was no evidence of an abusive relationship between Ellen and Sam, and that there were no findings of a struggle at the apartment. She added:
“With all of this information considered, it is the opinion of the undersigned that the manner of Ellen Greenberg’s death is best classified as ‘suicide.’ All opinions stated in this report are expressed with a reasonable degree of medical certainty.”
Wow.
Greenberg family attorney Joe Podraza has since responded to the report, telling People:
“The report is deeply flawed. It builds a flimsy case on the distorted portrayal of Ellen’s mental health and ignores key evidence that contradicts suicide. These contradictions and other unanswered questions surrounding Ellen’s death require a deeper look, which MEO Simon simply ignores and now has permanently foreclosed.”
So that’s it?! This just all feels SO wrong! The poor Greenberg family!
On social media, several theories continue to garner attention. Many obviously have been pointing fingers at Sam, considering the apparent evidence of abuse, statistics of women being murdered by their partners, and the fact he found the body. But nothing has ever been proven. And we guess it won’t as long as the case is officially a suicide. What a difficult 14 years.
What are your reactions to this news, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments down below.
[Images via Change.org]
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