The unusual death of Ellen Greenberg, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, has once again been deemed a suicide. This conclusion has left her family’s attorney fuming, calling the report “stomach-turning.”
On Friday, the coroner’s office disclosed a new review of evidence, declaring that Greenberg likely took her own life in her apartment on January 26, 2011, as reported by People magazine.
When found, Greenberg had multiple stab wounds across her body, including severe injuries to her neck, back, and heart.
“Although the injuries are indeed unusual, it’s possible that Ellen could have inflicted them herself,” Lindsey Simon, the chief medical examiner in Philadelphia, stated.
Simon went on to highlight that Greenberg was “a young woman who struggles with anxiety,” while maintaining that her death should be classified as a suicide.
This ruling adds another chapter to a case that has seen Greenberg’s distraught parents filing lawsuits against the city and the coroner, claiming they did not adequately investigate her death.
In a sharp response, Joseph Podraza, who represents the Greenbergs, criticized the latest medical examiner’s report as “stomach-turning.”
“It presents inaccuracies, such as suggesting that a stab wound in her spine occurred during the autopsy, a notion debunked by numerous credible experts, including the city’s neuropathologist,” he argued.
Podraza further criticized Simon’s assessment as “deeply flawed,” pointing out ignored bruises and missing surveillance evidence that could demonstrate Greenberg wasn’t capable of inflicting her injuries.
His statement suggested that Simon’s conclusions were built on a warped understanding of Ellen’s mental health – a portrayal of her anxiety disorder that, he felt, was misguided and dismissive.
Greenberg’s body was discovered in her apartment during a snowstorm by her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, who has not been regarded as a suspect.
Initially ruled a homicide by the assistant medical examiner, the conclusion changed dramatically a few weeks later after discussions with police, leading to significant public outcry surrounding the investigation.
A2023 appellate court ruling noted serious flaws in the police inquiry but upheld the suicide verdict. Meanwhile, Osbourne, the original medical examiner, has since seemingly shifted again, suggesting in February that the circumstances were “something other than suicide.”
In their ongoing fight for clarity, Ellen’s parents, Sandy and Josh Greenberg, have questioned the suicide ruling and even hired forensic experts in an attempt to reverse it.
This past February, the Greenbergs settled a claim with the city for an undisclosed amount and secured an agreement for their daughter’s case to be reconsidered.
