More than a decade after 27-year-old teacher Ellen Greenberg was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment, her parents are still fighting to change what they believe is a deeply flawed conclusion.
The city once again ruled her death a suicide, but for Sandee and Josh Greenberg, this latest decision only strengthens their determination to keep pushing for justice.
Their attorney, Joe Podraza, made it clear in an interview with Daily Mail: “This is not the end. We’re going to fight this thing to the end.”
A Tragic Discovery That Sparked a Lifelong Mission
It was January 26, 2011, when Ellen, a first-grade teacher engaged to TV producer Sam Goldberg, was found dead inside her sixth-floor apartment in Manayunk, Philadelphia.
Goldberg told police he had gone to the gym and returned to find the door locked from the inside.
After breaking it down, he found Ellen lying on the kitchen floor with a 10-inch knife still in her chest.
She had suffered 20 stab wounds, including ten to the back of her neck and head, and had multiple bruises in various stages of healing.
At first, her death was ruled a homicide, but weeks later, it was changed to suicide — a decision that launched a 14-year legal and emotional battle for her family.
The Latest Ruling Brings Fresh Pain for Ellen’s Parents
In a devastating update this week, Philadelphia’s Chief Medical Examiner Lindsay Simon reaffirmed that Ellen’s death should be classified as suicide, following a detailed 32-page review.
Simon’s conclusion directly contradicts Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the original pathologist who performed Ellen’s 2011 autopsy and later reversed his own opinion, saying her death should not be ruled a suicide.
But Simon stood by the city’s stance, saying Ellen’s mental health struggles, lack of defensive wounds, and absence of DNA from her fiancé on the knife supported her ruling.
She also argued Ellen could have physically inflicted the wounds on herself, despite acknowledging that their distribution was “unusual.”
A Decision That Feels Like a “City-Controlled Report”
Attorney Joe Podraza expressed deep frustration with the city’s handling of the case, accusing officials of creating what he described as “a city-controlled report with a preordained conclusion.”
He said the Greenbergs had placed their last bit of faith in this review, hoping the city would finally “do the right thing” after Dr. Osbourne’s statement — but that trust, he believes, was misplaced.
“The city refused to allow an independent forensic pathologist to review the case.
They wanted control, and that’s what this report reflects,” Podraza said.
Questions Over the Evidence and the Autopsy
Podraza and independent experts continue to dispute several findings in Simon’s review.
One major point of contention is a stab wound to Ellen’s spinal column that some experts believe could have occurred after death, during the autopsy.
Pathologists Dr. Lyndsey Emery and Dr. Wayne Ross concluded there was no hemorrhage associated with that wound — evidence suggesting it was post-mortem, not self-inflicted.
The review also increased the total number of Ellen’s wounds from 20 to 23 stab injuries and 31 bruises, further strengthening, in Podraza’s view, the case for homicide.
“This Is Not the End” — The Family Plans Next Steps
Despite the court officially closing the Greenbergs’ civil case against the city this week, Podraza says the family isn’t backing down.
He revealed they’re now exploring two new possible routes:
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Requesting federal intervention through the Department of Justice, citing potential corruption.
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Appealing to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and State Police for an independent investigation.
“None of this is going to be easy,” Podraza admitted. “Philadelphia will fight tooth and nail, but this family is not giving up.”
Political Complications and Conflict of Interest Concerns
The case’s long history is riddled with political entanglements.
Years ago, Larry Krasner, now Philadelphia’s District Attorney, represented the Greenbergs before taking office.
To avoid a conflict, he handed the case to then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office later reaffirmed the suicide ruling.
When rumors emerged about Shapiro’s alleged connection to the Goldberg family, he passed the case back to the DA’s office, which then sent it to Chester County prosecutors.
In November 2024, they concluded there wasn’t enough evidence of a crime — another painful setback for the family.
“We Want to Know the Truth” — The Greenbergs’ Emotional Plea
Speaking to ABC’s Nightline, Sandee and Josh Greenberg vowed to continue their fight.
“We’re not going away, and we’re not giving up,” Sandee said. “Just because there’s a period at the end of the sentence doesn’t mean we forgot our daughter.”
Josh added, “We’ll be fighting as long as we can and as long as it’s possible.”
From the very beginning, Sandee said she never believed Ellen had taken her own life.
“The only thing I know is that Ellen did not commit suicide. I knew that from the start.”
Signs of Trouble Before Her Death
In the months leading up to her death, Ellen had been struggling with anxiety and had started seeing a psychiatrist.
She asked her parents if she could move back home to Harrisburg, telling them work had become stressful.
Though she was prescribed anxiety medication, her psychiatrist reportedly said she was not suicidal and never mentioned abuse.
But years later, Sandee came to believe Ellen may have been suffering in silence.
Prominent forensic expert Dr. Wayne Ross concluded that Ellen’s bruising suggested repeated physical abuse before her death.
“I thought she was in a safe, loving home,” Sandee said softly. “I don’t know what I think now.”
The Fiancé’s Silence — and a Rare Response
Sam Goldberg, now married with two children and living in Manhattan, has largely stayed out of the public eye since Ellen’s death. He has never been accused or considered a suspect.
But this week, following the medical examiner’s review, Goldberg briefly broke his silence.
“It’s awful and it sucks,” he told Daily Mail, describing how media coverage of the case has affected him.
His only other public comment came in 2024, when he emailed a statement to CNN, insisting Ellen died by suicide and condemning what he called “lies and distortions” spread about him over the years.
A Family’s Promise That Won’t Fade
For the Greenbergs, the official reports and court rulings have done little to quiet their grief — or their conviction that Ellen was murdered.
“Right now, we can’t put our finger on why doing the right thing is so hard,” Podraza said.
“But we’ll keep going until Sandee and Josh know the truth — and if Ellen was killed, the people responsible will be held accountable.”
Even after 14 long years, one thing is clear: this family refuses to let Ellen’s story end with a period.