SUSPICIOUS DEATH
CASE #: 2011-3
Ellen Greenberg
Status:
Open
Date of Death:
Date of Death:
Jurisdiction:
Philadelphia, PA
Death Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Summary:
On 26 January 2011, Ellen Greenberg was found dead by her fiancé, Samuel Goldberg, in the kitchen of the apartment they shared in Manayunk, Philadelphia. She was slumped against the cabinets, her legs splayed out in front of her. The elementary school teacher had at least 20 stab wounds, many to the back of her head and neck along with a 10-inch knife lodged in her chest. After her death was ruled a homicide, the Philadelphia PD reversed that weeks later and declared it a suicide.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Death:
Greenberg had twenty stab rounds - including 10 to her back and neck. There were also eleven bruises noted that were in various stages of resolution found on her right arm, abdomen and her right leg. One significant point was the stab wound that penetrated Ellen's brain. Experts stated that the stab wound to the brain and spinal cord alone would have caused severe pain, cranial nerve dysfunction and traumatic brain injuries. Evidence was not consistent with the story such as the victim being found seated upright, but blood had dripped sideways across her face.
Additional Details:
Records show Greenberg was being treated for anxiety at the time, but the family’s experts hired over the years have found it’s unlikely her medications contributed to suicidal thoughts. Her family discovered in 2021 that Greenberg suffered a 6.5-centimeter wound to the back of her head after her heart stopped beating.
Case Last Updated:
Associated Persons
Samuel G. (Fiance) - Living
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