For more than a decade, Sandee and Josh Greenberg have lived with grief, anger, and a relentless determination to uncover the truth about their daughter Ellen’s death.
Now, federal prosecutors have announced they will reopen the case, reigniting both hope and heartbreak for the couple in their Florida home.
A Conversation That Stays with Her
Sandee Greenberg, 69, recalls one of her last phone calls with Ellen’s former fiancé, Sam Goldberg.
“You know Sam,” she said to him, “we know this was not a suicide.”
On the other end of the line, she says, there was only silence.
Their conversations, which had stretched on periodically for two years after Ellen’s death, ended abruptly when Goldberg told them he was moving on with his life and getting remarried.
The Tragic Death That Divided Opinions
Ellen, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher, was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment on January 26, 2011, suffering more than 20 stab wounds.
Initially ruled a homicide, the Medical Examiner later reclassified the death as suicide—a conclusion the Greenbergs have never accepted.
“Changing the manner of death from homicide to suicide stopped us from being able to grieve,” Sandee said.
Holding Out for Justice
Despite the official narrative, the Greenbergs have fought tirelessly to reopen the case.
They’ve hired experts who back their belief that Ellen was murdered and launched a petition signed by over 170,000 people demanding a homicide investigation.
Last February, they saw a glimmer of progress when the city agreed to review the case, but the Chief Medical Examiner reaffirmed her finding of suicide in October, a ruling the couple described as a “gut punch.”
Clashing Views on Goldberg and the Past
Much of the Greenbergs’ anger is directed at Sam Goldberg, who is now married with children.
Josh Greenberg said bluntly, “He went on with his life. I guess Ellen maybe wasn’t good enough for him.”
Goldberg has expressed frustration with media coverage portraying his relationship with Ellen as toxic, calling it “awful.”
But for the Greenbergs, the focus has never been on revenge—it’s about seeking an unbiased investigation.
Disputing the Medical Examiner’s Findings
Dr. Lindsay Simon, the Chief Medical Examiner, found no evidence that Ellen’s bruises or wounds were inflicted by another person, attributing them instead to everyday activities and her work as a teacher.
She also described her relationship with Goldberg as “wonderful.” Josh strongly disagrees: “Ellen hated pain.
She could never have done that to herself. Somebody abused my daughter. The scene was staged.”
Balancing Grief, Anger, and Hope
For Sandee and Josh, the fight is as much emotional as it is legal.
Josh admitted that he doubts the case will ever be fully resolved, while Sandee holds firm in her belief that justice can be served.
“In a perfect world, yes,” she said, acknowledging the harsh reality that the world is far from perfect.
Remembering Ellen Every Day
Even after all these years, the Greenbergs feel Ellen’s presence in small, tangible ways—wind chimes, butterflies, and pennies that appear unexpectedly.
Sandee keeps them in a jar as a reminder of her daughter. “I think she’s proud of us,” she said.
“She’s every bit as proud of us as we are of her. She was just robbed of living a wonderful life. We won’t give up.”
The Next Chapter
With federal prosecutors reopening the case, the Greenbergs see a renewed opportunity to seek answers, even as decades of grief weigh heavily.
Their mission is clear: to fight for Ellen, to honor her memory, and to continue the pursuit of the truth—no matter how long it takes.
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