Ellen Greenberg's Death Case Gets Final Ruling 14 Years Later

What began as a snowstorm tragedy in 2011 has ended, 14 years later, with a ruling that many hoped would bring clarity. Instead, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's final decision in Ellen Greenberg's case has deepened a family's grief and renewed public debate.

In an official ruling that has left her family reeling, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office has concluded that Ellen Greenberg — the 27-year-old teacher found stabbed 20 times in her Philadelphia apartment — died by suicide, closing a 14-year chapter of grief and unanswered questions.

The announcement came mere days before a scheduled hearing on Tuesday, October 14, before Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Linda Carpenter, who has already expressed displeasure over the prolonged and torturous reexamination of the case.

On January 26, 2011, as a blizzard engulfed the city, Ellen was discovered dead inside her locked Philadelphia apartment by her fiancé, Sam Goldberg.

An autopsy revealed that she had been stabbed 20 times in the neck, back, head, and heart, and had 11 bruises on her body in various stages of healing. A knife was found in her chest. At the time, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, then the assistant medical examiner, declared the death a homicide.

Ellen's Parents Never Stopped Fighting

But while the official narrative wavered, Sandee and Josh Greenberg — Ellen's devastated parents — never gave up.

In search of truth and accountability, they hired an array of renowned experts, including forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, who adamantly stated Ellen's wounds were not self-inflicted, and forensic neuropathologist Dr. Wayne Ross, who claimed there was evidence of strangulation and that the death appeared staged.

Ellen's parents collected over 167,000 signatures urging the city to reopen the case and filed two lawsuits, alleging that the original investigation had been mishandled and possibly covered up.

Medical Examiner Reverses Course

But on October 10, 2025, the new 32-page review by Philadelphia Chief Medical Examiner Lindsay Simon, obtained by People magazine, issued a stunning reversal: Ellen's death would be officially classified as a suicide.

Lindsay explained that her office had been tasked with an independent reexamination of all evidence tied to Ellen's death. That included prior assessments by Cyril, Wayne, and private investigator Thomas Brennan, whom Ellen's parents hired.

Although the Chief ME conceded that the pattern of injuries was highly unusual, she asserted that the evidence showed Ellen could have inflicted them herself and pointed to her anxiety as a likely contributing factor.

Her report also noted there were no traces of Sam's DNA on the knife, no signs of abuse, and no evidence of a struggle in the apartment. These findings led Lindsay to conclude that the death was most consistent with suicide.

Family and Legal Team Challenge Findings

But for Sandee, Josh, and their legal team, the conclusion was not only unacceptable — it was an outrage. Their attorney, William Trask, released a statement to 6abc Action News, calling the report "a deeply flawed attempt to justify a predetermined conclusion."

He added that the review contained "false claims — like the assertion that a stab wound in Ellen's spinal column was made during autopsy, a theory rejected by every credible expert, including the City's own neuropathologist."

William further stated that the review ignored vital evidence that contradicted the suicide theory — including forensic recreations, unexplained injuries, and even missing surveillance footage.

Calling the report misleading and unfair to Ellen's memory, William made it clear the family has no intention of backing down, vowing to pursue other legal and investigative channels in their continued fight for the truth.

Spotlighted in a Docuseries

The case has also drawn national attention, most notably through the docuseries "Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg?" It lays bare the conflicting expert opinions and the family's steadfast belief that their daughter was murdered.

As Ellen's parents continue their legal fight, others connected to the deceased teacher have quietly moved forward.

Fiancé Moves On, but Tension Remains

Meanwhile, Sam, the man who found Ellen's body, has moved on with his life, according to Sandee. He is now married with children. In the docuseries, she added that:

"There is absolutely no contact or connection with him. I don't think about him, and I feel that we have a God that I believe in, and we have a justice system that isn't exactly perfect, but that's not for me to reckon with."

Television producer Joel Hahn, who works with Sam, described him as pleasant but acknowledged that Ellen's death cast a long shadow, creating tension and discomfort in the workplace. Joel also said that many were unsure how to interact with Sam afterward.