The death of Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher who died in Philadelphia on January 26, 2011, is a high-profile case centered on an ongoing dispute over whether her death was a suicide or a homicide.
Greenberg was found dead on the kitchen floor of the Manayunk, Philadelphia apartment she shared with her fiancé, Samuel Goldberg, during a major blizzard.
She suffered 20 stab wounds (10 to the back of her head/neck, 8 to her chest/torso, with a 10-inch knife embedded in her chest) and at least 11 bruises.
Goldberg reported breaking through the apartment door’s swing-bar lock after returning from the building's gym and finding the door locked from the inside.
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office originally ruled her death a homicide following the autopsy.Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ellen_GreenbergHowever, after discussions with the Philadelphia Police Department, who considered the death suspicious but favored a suicide explanation, the Medical Examiner changed the official ruling to suicide.
Forensics experts (including Cyril Wecht and Henry Lee) and independent pathologists hired by the Greenberg family disputed the suicide conclusion.
They noted that several deep stab wounds were inflicted on the back of her neck/head, spinal cord involvement was alleged, and there were no defensive wounds or suicide note.
The apartment was professionally sanitized the day after her death with police permission. Additionally, electronic devices were temporarily removed from the scene by a relative before being handed over to law enforcement.
In 2025, Philadelphia's top pathologist issued a report reaffirming the original official ruling of suicide.
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Originally Posted by marakisses
