On a snowy January night in 2011, 27-year-old schoolteacher Ellen Greenberg was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment — stabbed 20 times, with a kitchen knife still in her chest.
At first, it was ruled a homicide. Weeks later, that ruling changed — Philadelphia police declared it a suicide.
Now, 14 years later, the city has reaffirmed that decision. But Ellen’s family insists: they got it wrong — and they’re calling it a cover-up.
A Locked Door. A Brutal Scene. Too Many Questions.
Ellen’s fiancé, Sam Goldberg, told police he left their sixth-floor apartment to work out, only to return and find the door locked from the inside. When no one answered his calls or texts, he says he kicked the door in — and found Ellen on the kitchen floor.
She had 20 stab wounds to her neck, chest, and back. The knife was still embedded in her heart. There were no signs of a struggle. No forced entry. No defensive wounds.
The medical examiner initially ruled it a homicide. But two weeks later, after discussions with police, the cause of death was quietly changed to suicide — and the investigation was closed.
“It’s Bullsh*t,” Says Her Father
To Ellen’s parents, Joshua and Sandee Greenberg, the ruling defies logic.
“She stabbed herself 20 times? Including in the back of the head?” her father said. “It’s bullsh*t. She was attacked.”
Ellen had bruises in various stages of healing. She was reportedly planning to break off her engagement that day. Her engagement ring was off. Her bags were packed.
Independent experts hired by the family agree: the injuries don’t line up with suicide. One even found signs of possible strangulation — and suggested the scene may have been staged.
Despite this, the city doubled down. In October 2025, just days before a court hearing, Philadelphia’s Chief Medical Examiner reaffirmed the suicide ruling.
The Case Isn’t Closed for Her Family
Their attorney called the decision “an embarrassment” and vowed to keep fighting through other legal avenues.
Adding to the controversy, the original examiner who first declared it a homicide later signed an affidavit stating his initial assessment was correct.
Meanwhile, Sam Goldberg — who was never charged or officially named a suspect — has moved on with his life. He’s denied any involvement and says the accusations are cruel and baseless.
Ellen’s parents remain unconvinced.
“We’ve been fighting this for 14 years,” said her father. “They want to close the book. But we’re not done. Not until the truth comes out.”
A Death That Still Haunts a City
What happened to Ellen Greenberg is still shrouded in mystery. A locked apartment. Twenty stab wounds. No defensive injuries. No clear answers.
Was it suicide — or something far more sinister?
Her family believes the real story has yet to be told. And they refuse to stop until it is.
