February 19, 2025 • 11 mins
After 14 excruciating years, Ellen Greenberg's parents have made progress in their fight to have their daughter's death reviewed. After sustaining 20+ stab wounds, Ellen's death was shockingly ruled a suicide.
Listen now to hear the latest update after the medical examiner seemingly changes his mind on Ellen's death.
--Photos for this episode are available at https://autopsyofacrime.substack.com/p/update-ellen-greenberg
--Thank you BetterHelp for making this episode possible. BetterHelp is making therapy more accessible and afforable than ever. Save 10% on your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/Terin
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Is something interfering with your happiness or preventing you
from achieving your goals? Mental health is such a topic
these days, and taking care of your mental health is just as
important as eating healthy or your beloved skin care routine.
Regardless if you have a clinical mental health issue
like depression or anxiety, or if you're just a human who lives
(00:23):
in this world and you're going through it, therapy can give you
the tools to approach your life in a very different way.
Therapy has been very beneficialto me in the past, maybe a
couple bad breakups and especially during COVID.
And that's why I'm excited to tell you about today's sponsor,
Better Help. Betterhelp's mission is to make
(00:45):
therapy more affordable and moreaccessible.
And this is so important becausefinding a therapist can be
really hard, you guys, especially when you're limited
to the options in your area. Betterhelp is a platform that
makes finding a therapist easierbecause it's online, it's
remote, and by filling out a fewquestions, Better Help can match
(01:07):
you to a professional therapist in as little as a few days.
And sometimes, because therapy can be like dating, if the first
therapist you get matched with doesn't really fit that well,
that's common and it's OK, you can easily switch to a new
therapist at no additional cost without stressing about who is
(01:28):
in your network and who your insurance covers.
So go to betterhelp.com/terran and get 10% off your first
month. That's betterhelp.com/T Erin,
and start feeling better becauseyou deserve it.
(01:51):
Hello, Clarisse. Welcome to or welcome back to
Autopsy of a Crime. Thank you guys so much for
listening. The episode I want to talk about
today is a case that I followed for a while, and while it
remains unsolved, I've hesitatedto make an episode on it because
it's been so widely covered, especially by Nancy Grace, and I
(02:16):
didn't just want to regurgitate information that is already out
there. However, now, with a new update
and a step in the right direction, I'm bringing you the
story of the mysterious death and arguably most horribly
handled case of Ellen Greenberg.It all began on January 26th,
(02:44):
2011. Ellen was a school teacher and
she had come home early due to aBlizzard that was expected in
her home state of Pennsylvania. At 6:30 PM, Ellen's fiance, Sam
Goldberg called 911 and said I just walked into my apartment,
my fiance's on the floor with blood everywhere.
However, it was more than two minutes into the 911 call before
(03:07):
her fiance would say something that was shocking.
There is a knife sticking out ofher chest.
He went on to exclaim. She's stabbed herself.
She fell on a knife. An autopsy was performed the
next day noting as many as 20 stab wounds on Ellen's body,
(03:28):
many of which were to the neck and the back of the head, and
there were numerous bruises and various stages of healing all
over Ellen's body. Her death was ruled a homicide.
However, that is only the beginning of this story because
police treated this as a suicidefrom the beginning.
(03:49):
Convinced that Ellen had committed suicide in the most
unlikely way possible, police released the scene without ever
calling in a crime scene unit, and this allowed the chance for
the unit to be cleaned and that happened, erasing almost any
chance for viable evidence. Police stated part of their
(04:11):
reasoning was that Ellen was home alone, the door was latched
from inside, and that her fiancehad to force entry.
Noting that nothing was disturbed or out of place, the
the medical examiner went on to amend Ellen's cause of death to
a shocking suicide. Suicide Despite the fact that
(04:35):
some of the injuries and stab wounds Ellen sustained would
have rendered her unconscious oreven dead and unable to continue
to allegedly stab herself. The amount of times needed to
account for all of her wounds. And there will be a recreation
on the sub stack for this episode that is something that
(04:57):
was made to demonstrate and showEllen's wounds and their
location. And I think that is very
important because it's importantto see how many wounds there are
and where they are. And then imagine that law
enforcement is saying all of this was self-inflicted.
(05:19):
And furthermore, how does one stab themselves in the back of
the head? How make it make sense?
Ellen's parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg, have fought
this for 14 long years. They have spent their life
savings and they have gone to speak to the media and have even
(05:43):
filed 2 civil suits. Outside pathologists and other
experts who have reviewed the case all agreed that it was
highly suspicious and likely a homicide.
The local law enforcement did not want to hear this, and still
Ellen's case and cause of death remained labeled a suicide,
therefore ending any further investigation into her case.
(06:06):
Now, 14 years later in 2025, themedical examiner that performed
Ellen's autopsy has walked back his findings, essentially
withdrawing his conclusion of suicide just as Ellen's parents
were headed to court for two civil suits against Philadelphia
(06:26):
officials. Curious timing, some may say.
Now a settlement has been reached for those two civil
suits that Ellen's parents filed.
Marlon Osborne, the medical examiner who performed Ellen's
autopsy, gave a sworn testimony stating that he now believes
(06:48):
that Ellen's manner of death should be designated as
something other than suicide. He went on to say he changed his
decision after he reviewed additional information in her
police case file and after a consultation from Doctor Lucy
Rourke Adams, a pediatric neuropathologist.
(07:12):
Now I'm no expert, but why did this take 14 years for Marlin
Osbourne to look into this deeper?
It almost seems like they're only now willing to do this
because of the civil suits, no? And I would be curious to know
(07:33):
what information was gathered from a pediatric
neuropathologist. Ellen was a grown woman and why
did Why was she not consulted sooner this doctor, Lucy Rourke
Adams? Nonetheless, the attorney
representing Ellen's parents said that they have been told
(07:57):
this review will be conducted expeditiously.
But nothing about this case has been handled in a quick manner
and in fact, it's taken many years and many resources, all
done by Ellen's parents, to evenget enough attention on Ellen's
case to be granted a review of the suicide ruling.
(08:20):
Ellen's parents have not shield away from media.
They have welcomed many interviews.
In one specific interview, SandyGreenberg said quote, she was
being abused after reading the autopsy report many, many times.
There were bruises and various stages of healing from abuse and
(08:42):
quote. Her parents have also shared
that while Ellen was planning her wedding to Sam Goldberg,
friends and family noticed a change in her.
She had even asked her parents if she could move back home with
them. Ellen had also began seeing a
therapist and was being treated for anxiety.
Her therapist noted Ellen was not suicidal and never disclosed
(09:04):
any domestic violence. Ellen's parents are clear that
they do have concerns that the same professionals who woefully
mishandled their daughter's casefrom the beginning will be the
same professionals conducting a case review.
However, there is something different this time around,
(09:24):
something important. Many eyes are on them this time.
One person that, however, who hasn't publicly celebrated the
reopening of the case is Ellen'sthen fiance.
Ellen's mom says that he is now a married father of two living
(09:44):
in New York and hasn't reached out to her, her husband or their
legal team about this huge development.
In his ex fiance's case, she describes his silence following
the medical examiner's conclusion and City's
announcement of a new investigation as very
interesting, saying quote and especially not just him, but his
(10:06):
family. No one has reached out to us
that I'm aware of. End Quote.
Sandy went on to say it no longer surprises her.
The last time she and Josh heardfrom their once future
son-in-law was in an e-mail in 2013 announcing his engagement
to his now wife, Caroline Schnee.
The couple married in January 2014 and now live with their two
(10:30):
children in Gramercy Park for inan apartment that they bought
for $1.8 million. Their nuptials were announced in
the New York Times almost exactly three years after
Ellen's death, revealing that fashion designer Schnee is the
daughter of a prominent New Yorkreal estate mogul.
(10:54):
I will continue to provide updates on this case and
hopefully they get some something worthwhile from this
case review. I cannot imagine what her
parents have gone through fighting this for 14 years when
it seems so obvious. But this is not a suicide.
(11:18):
It's terrifying that something can be so horribly mishandled
and just so much respect for herparents for fighting this and
not letting this go. As new information comes out I
will definitely make update episodes and thank you guys so
(11:40):
much for listening. I will be back soon with a new
episode. Bye.
Is something interfering with your happiness or preventing you
from achieving your goals? Mental health is such a topic
these days, and taking care of your mental health is just as
important as eating healthy or your beloved skin care routine.
Regardless if you have a clinical mental health issue
like depression or anxiety, or if you're just a human who lives
(00:23):
in this world and you're going through it, therapy can give you
the tools to approach your life in a very different way.
Therapy has been very beneficialto me in the past, maybe a
couple bad breakups and especially during COVID.
And that's why I'm excited to tell you about today's sponsor,
Better Help. Betterhelp's mission is to make
(00:45):
therapy more affordable and moreaccessible.
And this is so important becausefinding a therapist can be
really hard, you guys, especially when you're limited
to the options in your area. Betterhelp is a platform that
makes finding a therapist easierbecause it's online, it's
remote, and by filling out a fewquestions, Better Help can match
(01:07):
you to a professional therapist in as little as a few days.
And sometimes, because therapy can be like dating, if the first
therapist you get matched with doesn't really fit that well,
that's common and it's OK, you can easily switch to a new
therapist at no additional cost without stressing about who is
(01:28):
in your network and who your insurance covers.
So go to betterhelp.com/terran and get 10% off your first
month. That's betterhelp.com/T Erin,
and start feeling better becauseyou deserve it.
(01:51):
Hello, Clarisse. Welcome to or welcome back to
Autopsy of a Crime. Thank you guys so much for
listening. The episode I want to talk about
today is a case that I followed for a while, and while it
remains unsolved, I've hesitatedto make an episode on it because
it's been so widely covered, especially by Nancy Grace, and I
(02:16):
didn't just want to regurgitate information that is already out
there. However, now, with a new update
and a step in the right direction, I'm bringing you the
story of the mysterious death and arguably most horribly
handled case of Ellen Greenberg.It all began on January 26th,
(02:44):
2011. Ellen was a school teacher and
she had come home early due to aBlizzard that was expected in
her home state of Pennsylvania. At 6:30 PM, Ellen's fiance, Sam
Goldberg called 911 and said I just walked into my apartment,
my fiance's on the floor with blood everywhere.
However, it was more than two minutes into the 911 call before
(03:07):
her fiance would say something that was shocking.
There is a knife sticking out ofher chest.
He went on to exclaim. She's stabbed herself.
She fell on a knife. An autopsy was performed the
next day noting as many as 20 stab wounds on Ellen's body,
(03:28):
many of which were to the neck and the back of the head, and
there were numerous bruises and various stages of healing all
over Ellen's body. Her death was ruled a homicide.
However, that is only the beginning of this story because
police treated this as a suicidefrom the beginning.
(03:49):
Convinced that Ellen had committed suicide in the most
unlikely way possible, police released the scene without ever
calling in a crime scene unit, and this allowed the chance for
the unit to be cleaned and that happened, erasing almost any
chance for viable evidence. Police stated part of their
(04:11):
reasoning was that Ellen was home alone, the door was latched
from inside, and that her fiancehad to force entry.
Noting that nothing was disturbed or out of place, the
the medical examiner went on to amend Ellen's cause of death to
a shocking suicide. Suicide Despite the fact that
(04:35):
some of the injuries and stab wounds Ellen sustained would
have rendered her unconscious oreven dead and unable to continue
to allegedly stab herself. The amount of times needed to
account for all of her wounds. And there will be a recreation
on the sub stack for this episode that is something that
(04:57):
was made to demonstrate and showEllen's wounds and their
location. And I think that is very
important because it's importantto see how many wounds there are
and where they are. And then imagine that law
enforcement is saying all of this was self-inflicted.
(05:19):
And furthermore, how does one stab themselves in the back of
the head? How make it make sense?
Ellen's parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg, have fought
this for 14 long years. They have spent their life
savings and they have gone to speak to the media and have even
(05:43):
filed 2 civil suits. Outside pathologists and other
experts who have reviewed the case all agreed that it was
highly suspicious and likely a homicide.
The local law enforcement did not want to hear this, and still
Ellen's case and cause of death remained labeled a suicide,
therefore ending any further investigation into her case.
(06:06):
Now, 14 years later in 2025, themedical examiner that performed
Ellen's autopsy has walked back his findings, essentially
withdrawing his conclusion of suicide just as Ellen's parents
were headed to court for two civil suits against Philadelphia
(06:26):
officials. Curious timing, some may say.
Now a settlement has been reached for those two civil
suits that Ellen's parents filed.
Marlon Osborne, the medical examiner who performed Ellen's
autopsy, gave a sworn testimony stating that he now believes
(06:48):
that Ellen's manner of death should be designated as
something other than suicide. He went on to say he changed his
decision after he reviewed additional information in her
police case file and after a consultation from Doctor Lucy
Rourke Adams, a pediatric neuropathologist.
(07:12):
Now I'm no expert, but why did this take 14 years for Marlin
Osbourne to look into this deeper?
It almost seems like they're only now willing to do this
because of the civil suits, no? And I would be curious to know
(07:33):
what information was gathered from a pediatric
neuropathologist. Ellen was a grown woman and why
did Why was she not consulted sooner this doctor, Lucy Rourke
Adams? Nonetheless, the attorney
representing Ellen's parents said that they have been told
(07:57):
this review will be conducted expeditiously.
But nothing about this case has been handled in a quick manner
and in fact, it's taken many years and many resources, all
done by Ellen's parents, to evenget enough attention on Ellen's
case to be granted a review of the suicide ruling.
(08:20):
Ellen's parents have not shield away from media.
They have welcomed many interviews.
In one specific interview, SandyGreenberg said quote, she was
being abused after reading the autopsy report many, many times.
There were bruises and various stages of healing from abuse and
(08:42):
quote. Her parents have also shared
that while Ellen was planning her wedding to Sam Goldberg,
friends and family noticed a change in her.
She had even asked her parents if she could move back home with
them. Ellen had also began seeing a
therapist and was being treated for anxiety.
Her therapist noted Ellen was not suicidal and never disclosed
(09:04):
any domestic violence. Ellen's parents are clear that
they do have concerns that the same professionals who woefully
mishandled their daughter's casefrom the beginning will be the
same professionals conducting a case review.
However, there is something different this time around,
(09:24):
something important. Many eyes are on them this time.
One person that, however, who hasn't publicly celebrated the
reopening of the case is Ellen'sthen fiance.
Ellen's mom says that he is now a married father of two living
(09:44):
in New York and hasn't reached out to her, her husband or their
legal team about this huge development.
In his ex fiance's case, she describes his silence following
the medical examiner's conclusion and City's
announcement of a new investigation as very
interesting, saying quote and especially not just him, but his
(10:06):
family. No one has reached out to us
that I'm aware of. End Quote.
Sandy went on to say it no longer surprises her.
The last time she and Josh heardfrom their once future
son-in-law was in an e-mail in 2013 announcing his engagement
to his now wife, Caroline Schnee.
The couple married in January 2014 and now live with their two
(10:30):
children in Gramercy Park for inan apartment that they bought
for $1.8 million. Their nuptials were announced in
the New York Times almost exactly three years after
Ellen's death, revealing that fashion designer Schnee is the
daughter of a prominent New Yorkreal estate mogul.
(10:54):
I will continue to provide updates on this case and
hopefully they get some something worthwhile from this
case review. I cannot imagine what her
parents have gone through fighting this for 14 years when
it seems so obvious. But this is not a suicide.
(11:18):
It's terrifying that something can be so horribly mishandled
and just so much respect for herparents for fighting this and
not letting this go. As new information comes out I
will definitely make update episodes and thank you guys so
(11:40):
much for listening. I will be back soon with a new
episode. Bye.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.