Ellen Greenberg Case Briefing

Executive Summary

Ellen Rae Greenberg, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher, was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment on January 26, 2011, with 20 stab wounds. Her death was initially ruled a homicide, then reclassified as a suicide, sparking significant controversy and a prolonged legal battle by her parents to have the ruling changed. The case involves conflicting evidence, questioned police procedures, and shifting opinions from medical experts, most notably the pathologist who performed the autopsy. Recent developments, including new testimony and the original pathologist's changed stance, suggest a potential reopening of the investigation.

Key Facts and Timeline

• January 26, 2011: Ellen Greenberg is found dead in her Philadelphia apartment with 20 stab wounds, including 10 to her back and neck. Her fiancé, Samuel Goldberg, reports finding the door secured from the inside with a swing latch, breaking it down, and then calling 911. Goldberg states that Greenberg "stabbed herself" and "fell on a knife." (Crime Timeline, Wikipedia)

• Initial Police Response: The crime scene is initially treated as a suicide by police investigators. (Wikipedia)

• January 27, 2011: Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the medical examiner, performs the autopsy and initially rules the death a homicide, issuing a death certificate reflecting this finding. The apartment is cleaned and sanitized after police permission, and Goldberg's uncle, James Schwartzman (a prominent lawyer, later judge), removes laptops, phones, and credit cards belonging to Greenberg and Goldberg. (Crime Timeline, Wikipedia, Philadelphia Court Document)

• February 1, 2011: The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office rules the case a homicide. The Philadelphia Police Department publicly differs, stating "the death of Ellen Greenberg has not been ruled a homicide [...] Homicide investigators are considering the manner of death as suspicious at this time." (Wikipedia)

• February 2011: The medical examiner's office changes its conclusion to suicide. Dr. Osbourne formally amends the death certificate from homicide to suicide on April 4, 2011, after discussions with the Philadelphia Police Department and District Attorney's Office. (Crime Timeline, Wikipedia, Philadelphia Court Document)

• 2018: The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office (under Josh Shapiro) takes over the case on a conflict referral from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. (CBS News, Philadelphia Inquirer)

• 2019: The AG's office concludes its investigation, stating "the evidence supports 'Suicide' as the manner of death" and closes the case. (Joe Grace email, Wikipedia)

• October 15, 2019: Ellen Greenberg's parents file a complaint seeking a court-ordered revision of the manner of death. (Philadelphia Court Document)

• January 10, 2017: Dr. Wayne Ross, a forensic and neuropathologist, reviews the case materials and offers the opinion that "the scene findings were indicative of a homicide." He notes evidence of a stab wound penetrating the cranial cavity and severing the cranial nerve, bruising consistent with a repeated beating, and signs of strangulation. (Wayne K. Ross, MD, PC document)

• January 11, 2012: Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, a noted forensic pathologist, reviews the case and states in his opinion that the manner of death is "strongly suspicious of homicide." (Cyril H. Wecht document)

• January 29, 2018: Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science reviews the case, noting inconsistencies in blood spatter patterns and wounds, and concludes that "The number and type of wounds and bloodstain patterns observed are consistent with a homicide scene." (Henry C. Lee Institute document)

• February 2025: Dr. Marlon Osbourne, no longer employed by the Medical Examiner's office, signs a document stating he has "amended his position on the cause of her death, no longer considering it a suicide." He states, "it is my professional opinion Ellen’s manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide." (Wikipedia, Lamb McErlane PC)

• October 2, 2024: New testimony emerges from an EMT first on the scene, revealing "inconsistencies in the fiancé's account and unexplained details at the crime scene." (Audioboom)

Main Themes and Important Ideas

1. The Contested Manner of Death: Suicide vs. Homicide

The central conflict in the Ellen Greenberg case is the official ruling of suicide despite extensive evidence and expert opinions suggesting homicide.

• Initial Findings and Reclassification: Ellen Greenberg sustained 20 stab wounds, including 10 to her back and neck. (Wikipedia) Initially, the Medical Examiner, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, ruled it a homicide. However, this was later changed to suicide after discussions with the Philadelphia Police Department and District Attorney's Office. (Wikipedia, Philadelphia Court Document)

• Arguments Against Suicide:Number and Location of Wounds: Multiple experts, including Dr. Cyril Wecht, have stated that 20 stab wounds, especially to the back and neck, are highly uncharacteristic of suicide. As one Reddit user commented, "No one stabs themselves that many times." (Reddit) Another highlighted, "How does someone stab themselves in the back!" (Reddit)

• Incapacitation: A neuropathologist, Dr. Lindsey Emery, initially stated that one of the stab wounds to the back of Greenberg's neck would have severed her spinal cord, incapacitating her and making further self-inflicted wounds physically impossible. While she later walked back this conclusion, the initial finding strongly challenges the suicide narrative. (Reddit)

• Bruising and Repeated Beating: Dr. Wayne Ross reported "multiple bruises on her right arm, abdomen, and right leg" (Wikipedia) and opined that "There were multiple bruises over the body some of which were fresh, many of which were older. The patterns were consistent with a repeated beating." He also found evidence of strangulation. (Wayne K. Ross, MD, PC document, Wikipedia) This suggests a history of domestic violence.

• Lack of Defensive Wounds: The Henry C. Lee Institute noted the "absence of defensive-type wounds" on her right hand, which is unusual if she were being attacked, but also inconsistent with self-inflicted wounds where one might expect hesitation marks. (Henry C. Lee Institute document)

• Crime Scene Contradictions: Bloodstain patterns observed by the Henry C. Lee Institute were "consistent with a homicide scene," with indications of the body being moved and blood dripping from her head while she was in a standing position. (Henry C. Lee Institute document)

2. Questions of Police Conduct and Investigation Integrity

The handling of the crime scene and subsequent investigation has drawn significant criticism and raised suspicions of a cover-up.

• Scene Compromise: The apartment was "cleaned and sanitized" on January 27, 2011, "after permission to do so was given from the police," and before detectives secured a search warrant to return to the scene. This meant "Evidence they might have gathered was lost forever." (Wikipedia)

• Removal of Evidence: Samuel Goldberg's uncle, James Schwartzman, was allowed to enter the apartment and remove "work and personal laptops, phones, and credit cards belonging to both Goldberg and Greenberg." While these items were later retrieved by police, this initial access is seen as highly irregular and suspicious. (Wikipedia, Reddit)

• Police Influence on ME's Ruling: Dr. Osbourne testified that information provided by police and the District Attorney's office led him to amend Greenberg's manner of death from homicide to suicide. This included claims that the security guard witnessed Goldberg breaking down the door (which the security guard later denied) and that the door was forced open. (Philadelphia Court Document) This influence led to the only time in Dr. Osbourne's career he had changed a cause of death ruling. (Reddit)

• Lack of Thoroughness: Critics point to a lack of thorough investigation, including a failure to collect temperature readings for time of death and a proper description of rigor mortis by the initial medical examiner (not Osbourne), which hindered later examination. (Reddit)

3. The Role of Samuel Goldberg and His Connections

Samuel Goldberg's actions and his family's influence have been a consistent point of contention.

• 911 Call Discrepancies: Goldberg's 911 call has been scrutinized for its unusual tone and content. He is noted for stating "She stabbed herself" early in the call and reportedly not noticing the knife sticking out of her chest until prompted to perform CPR. One Reddit user described his demeanor as "trying to seem frantic, without actually feeling frantic." (Reddit)

• Call to Uncle Before 911: It is alleged that Goldberg called his uncle, James Schwartzman (a well-connected lawyer at the time, later a judge), before calling 911. (Reddit) This is seen as highly suspicious, implying a priority on legal protection over immediate emergency aid.

• Uncle's Influence: Schwartzman's presence and actions at the scene, including removing items, are viewed as indicative of powerful connections influencing the investigation. As one Reddit user put it, "That’s what happens when your killer has connections to lawyers and police." (Reddit)

4. Ellen Greenberg's Mental Health and Domestic Violence Allegations

While mental distress was cited as a reason for the suicide ruling, there's a counter-narrative suggesting domestic violence.

• Mental Distress and Suicide Searches: The Attorney General's office cited "web searches for 'methods of committing suicide,' 'quick death' and 'depression' done on Ms. Greenberg’s personal computer" and text messages showing "serious mental distress" as evidence supporting the suicide ruling. (Joe Grace email) She was also seeing a psychiatrist frequently and on multiple psych medications. (Crime Timeline)

• Contradictory Evidence of Suicidality: A technology expert stated that Ellen's Google searches attributed to "suicide methods" were actually "phantom searches based on analytics" while she was searching side effects of her medications. (Reddit) Her psychiatrist reportedly stated Ellen was not suicidal. (Reddit)

• Domestic Violence Suspicions: Friends and family reported changes in Ellen's behavior, including needing to "ask Sam first" before making decisions and breaking down weeping while wedding dress shopping. These behaviors, along with the "healing bruises" found on her body, suggest she may have been in a domestic violence situation. (Reddit) Some directly state, "Yes, she was a DV victim. Sam murdered her and managed to get away due to his connections in police and political circles." (Reddit)

Conclusion

The Ellen Greenberg case remains deeply controversial due to the contradictory evidence, the initial flawed investigation, and the reclassification of her death from homicide to suicide. The recent reversal of opinion by the original pathologist, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, and emerging new testimonies are significant developments that may lead to a renewed push for a comprehensive re-investigation and potentially, a different legal outcome. The case continues to highlight concerns about police conduct, the influence of powerful individuals, and the complexities of determining the manner of death in ambiguous circumstances.

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