UPDATE: Ellen Greenberg

The gist

Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher, was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment on January 26, 2011, with 19 stab wounds and a large laceration to her head. Her fiancé Sam Goldberg discovered her body after returning from the gym and breaking down the door when she wouldn't answer. Although the medical examiner initially ruled the death a homicide based on autopsy findings, detectives quickly shifted to a suicide theory—a decision that was formalized after a controversial meeting between police, the medical examiner, and prosecutors. The case has become a flashpoint for systemic failures in the criminal justice system, with forensic experts, the Greenbergs' independent investigators, and even one prosecutor questioning the suicide ruling for over a decade.

Key takeaways

• Ellen had 19 stab wounds and a large gash on her head; wounds were found on her chest, back of her neck, back of head, and abdomen—some superficial (0.2 cm), others 4 inches deep
• The medical examiner's autopsy initially ruled the death a homicide, but within weeks, Dr. Marlon Osborne changed it to suicide after a meeting with police and prosecutors
• Critical evidence suggests foul play: bruises in different stages of healing (indicating abuse over time), wounds inconsistent with self-infliction (especially to the back of neck and head), and a possible spinal cord injury that could have incapacitated her
• Sam Goldberg's story contains a major lie: he told police that security guard Phil accompanied him when he discovered Ellen and found the door locked, but Phil's signed statement and surveillance footage prove Sam went upstairs alone
• The crime scene was severely compromised: police told the property manager there were no restrictions, allowing crime scene cleanup to occur and Sam's family to remove Ellen's engagement ring, laptops, cell phone, and handbag before evidence could be collected
• Forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht's independent review concluded Ellen's death was "strongly suspicious of homicide," noting that suicide victims rarely stab themselves through clothing and that the multiple wounds to the back of her head and neck were inconsistent with self-infliction
• Detectives noted the apartment lock was a simple hotel-style latch that can be easily opened from outside using a credit card or other methods—contrary to the "locked from inside" theory
• Computer forensic evidence used to support suicide (searches for "painless suicide" and "methods of suicide") has been disputed; the Greenbergs' expert found these were "phantom searches" based on other activity, and the original 2011 investigation found no suicide-related searches on her laptops

Notable quotes

• Sandy Greenberg (Ellen's mother): "We know she was not a suicide victim. She was a homicide victim of a brutal attack, and she was abused before the attack."

• Guy D'Andrea (homicide prosecutor reviewing the case): "I can tell you from my experience as a homicide prosecutor, it wasn't treated with the level that an investigation would be treated if viewed by the authorities as a homicide on scene."

• Dr. Osborne (in settlement negotiations, 2024): Based on new evidence he hadn't seen in 2011—evidence that had actually been public for years—he acknowledged he no longer believes Ellen's death should be classified as suicide.

Worth a full listen?

Listen to the full episode if you want the complete, chronological breakdown of the crime scene investigation, the autopsy findings, the flawed police procedures, and the 13-year legal fight by Ellen's parents to have her manner of death changed—or if you're planning to watch the Hulu docuseries Death in Apartment 603 and want comprehensive context before diving in.