Philadelphia medical examiner reaffirms suicide ruling in 2011 death of teacher Ellen Greenberg
Philadelphia’s Medical Examiner’s Office has again concluded that the 2011 death of 27-year-old teacher Ellen Greenberg was a suicide, a decision that immediately drew strong objections from her parents and several independent forensic experts. The ruling arrives after years of public debate, legal challenges, and renewed scrutiny of a case that has gripped Philadelphia and beyond.
Greenberg was found on January 26, 2011, inside the Manayunk apartment she shared with her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, during a snowstorm that kept much of the city indoors. Goldberg told police he discovered her collapsed in the kitchen with a knife in her chest after returning from the building’s gym and forcing his way back in when the swing-bar lock wouldn’t open. First responders observed no signs of forced entry into the unit other than his efforts to break through the swing bar, and the apartment showed no obvious evidence of a struggle.
The autopsy revealed a startling set of injuries: more than 20 stab wounds—to the chest, neck, back, and head—along with numerous bruises at different stages of healing. Those findings quickly split opinion. Some investigators and outside specialists pointed to the number and location of wounds as incompatible with suicide. Others argued that, while unusual and disturbing, the injuries did not conclusively prove homicide and could be explained by self-infliction under extreme distress.
The case has a complicated paper trail. In the days after Greenberg’s death, the manner was initially classified as homicide by an assistant medical examiner, then changed to suicide following consultations with police and city officials. That reversal effectively stopped a homicide inquiry, and for more than a decade the official record said Greenberg took her own life.
Her parents, Joshua and Sandee Greenberg, never accepted that conclusion. They enlisted legal counsel and commissioned outside pathologists, biomechanical experts, and crime-scene analysts. Over the years, these independent reviewers raised questions about wound angles, the depth and direction of certain injuries, the number and distribution of bruises, and whether a person could continue to stab themselves repeatedly, including into hard-to-reach areas, before collapsing.
Earlier this year, under growing public pressure and as part of a legal agreement with the family, the city committed to re-examine the case. The Medical Examiner’s Office assigned a senior pathologist to conduct a fresh review of autopsy materials, photos, scene notes, and supplemental reports that have surfaced over time. That review acknowledged several updates: additional documented skin perforations and a higher count of bruises than earlier summaries, as well as a renewed look at Greenberg’s medical and mental-health history, which included anxiety and sleep issues.
Despite the revisions, the new report reaffirmed suicide as the manner of death. The pathologist cited the apartment’s locked-from-inside status, the absence of another person’s DNA on the knife, and the lack of clear defensive injuries as persuasive factors. The review also concluded that the wound pattern—while atypical—did not rule out self-infliction beyond a reasonable degree of medical certainty.
The Greenberg family called the finding “deeply flawed,” arguing that it underweights critical forensic indicators and fails to reconcile contradictions in the original investigation. Their attorney criticized the city’s analysis as selective and said new court action is likely, including efforts to obtain additional internal records and, if necessary, to seek an independent inquest outside of local authorities.
Independent experts who disagree with the ruling emphasize biomechanics: how a body moves and loses function under trauma, and whether a person could physically deliver a series of deep wounds across multiple regions and angles. They also point to the practical challenge of repeatedly stabbing oneself in the back of the neck and head while maintaining coordination and grip strength. Supporters of the city’s conclusion counter that documented cases of multiple self-inflicted stab wounds do exist and that the scene evidence—particularly the interior lock and lack of clear defensive injuries—remains significant.
Beyond the scientific debate, the case raises questions about trust in institutions. Critics argue that the rapid change in the 2011 classification from homicide to suicide, combined with limited transparency at key moments, damaged public confidence. The city’s latest review attempted to address those concerns by cataloging evidence and methods more openly, but for families seeking certainty, the absence of an undisputed narrative is its own form of pain.
The ruling lands as renewed public attention has surged, fueled by documentaries, podcasts, and long-form reporting that walk audiences through the timeline and the forensics step by step. With fresh legal motions pending, the Greenbergs say they will continue pressing for an independent criminal review. City officials, meanwhile, maintain that the current evidence best supports suicide and that any future change would require compelling new facts.
For people who did not know Ellen Greenberg, the case resonates because it embodies difficult questions: how to weigh conflicting expert opinions, how much deference to give official conclusions, and how to find closure when doubt lingers. For her parents, friends, and former students, it is simpler and harder at the same time. They remember a young teacher with plans interrupted, and they want answers they can trust.
This article may be updated if authorities release additional documentation or if courts compel new disclosures.
