Federal prosecutors set to scrutinize investigation of a teacher’s death 15 years ago, that was ruled ‘suicide by authorities in Philadelphia

Ellen Greenberg, 27, was found in the kitchen of their shared Philly apt by her fiancé, Sam Goldberg28, on January 25, 2011 

ME overturned initial assumption of homicide and ruled Greenberg’s death as suicide, at the time, a result that has since been under scrutiny

Greenberg’s family has since pressed for her case to be re-reviewed after finding evidence that investigators overlooked

Her parents hired a private investigator and commissioned the new technology of photogrammetry for 3D examination of the corpse

Photogrammetry showed all of the wounds could not have been self-inflicted, as half were inflicted to the back of her head and spine

Although Goldberg told cops that he said he broke down the door to get inside, there were no signs of a break-in

Greenberg’s death was ruled a homicide the next day the ME, noting that she suffered knife wounds to the back of her neck, heart, and many bruises in various stages of healing, declared her death a suicide

Investigators returning the next day to the apt. found it had been professionally cleaned, and devices owned by Goldberg had been removed by Goldberg’s uncle James Schwartzman

Schwartzman at the time was the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board

The investigation into the death of Philadelphia schoolteacher Ellen Greenberg [photo], in 2011, that ended with a baffling outcome is set to be re-opened by federal prosecutors

The heavily-scrutinized investigation into the death of Ellen Greenberg 25 year ago, is set to be re-opened by federal prosecutors, according to a new report. 
Prosecutors already subpoenaed documents from the investigation into Greenberg’s death. 
On January 25, 2011, the 27-year-old Philadelphia schoolteacher was found by her 28-year-old fiancé, Sam Goldberg, with over 20 stab wounds to her body, including to her heart and the back of her head.
Her death was initially ruled a homicide before being controversially classified as a suicide. 

The ruling was ‘suicide’ after Ellen Greenberg, [left], after she was found fatally stabbed by her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, [right], in their Philadelphia apt. Allegations of a ‘cover up’ saw the case re-evaluated by the city with the same result. Feds have signaled the investigation will be probed

Her mysterious death and allegations of a ‘cover up’ received renewed attention late 2025 as the case was re-evaluated by the city of Philadelphia, however the fresh probe ended with officials confirming manner of death was suicide. 
Prosecutors reportedly, will not be focusing on the manner of Greenberg’s death. They probe will question how agencies involved, handled the case, ensuring there were no missteps by investigators at the time that could amount to criminal corruption.
Among the injuries that seemed defy anatomic probability were the stab wounds to the back of the head and neck that severed her spinal cord and the kitchen knife sticking out of her heart when she was found.
The deceased woman’s parents have long maintained that they do not believe their daughter could have inflicted the many stab wounds on herself.
The family’s attorney Joe Podraza at the time called the medical examiner’s conclusion ‘tripe . . …. an embarrassment to the city, and an insult to Ellen and her family’.

Greenberg was found by her fiancé with over 20 stab wounds to her body, including to her heart and the back of her head, as seen in a medical examiner analysis. Some of the wounds were on parts of the body which seem to defy the conclusion of self-harm.

One graphic shows her spinal cord had been severed and her brain pierced in two forceful stabs to the neck. She could have neither defended nor harmed herself after those blows according to the private examiner hired by the family

Ellen’s death initially ruled a homicide, controversially was switched to suicide. Her parents do not believe she could have inflicted the many stab wounds to herself, which included her being found with a kitchen knife sticking out of her heart. 

Following news of the new investigation, Podraza said in a statement to the Inquirer that Greenberg’s parents are ‘ecstatic’ that the case is being re-opened. 
‘If that is in fact correct and accurate, that the federal government is going to investigate… this is exactly what we’ve wanted all along,’ he said. 
‘It’s unfortunate it’s taken more than seven years to get to this point but we are really grateful and thankful to the US attorneys and, of course, are available to assist in any way we can in helping their investigation.’   
Greenberg was found stabbed to death by her then-fiancé, Goldberg, in the kitchen of the 6th floor apartment they shared in Philadelphia, on January 25.
Responding officers immediately treated the incident as a suicide because Goldberg told them the apartment was locked from the inside. 

Ellen Greenberg, [left], was found dead by her fiancé Sam Goldberg [right], in their Philly apt. Her death was pronounced a suicide within hours. A Hulu documentary aired 2024, highlights inconsistencies in his version, including that when he called 911, Goldberg told a dispatcher she ‘fell on a knife’

Although he said he broke down the door to get inside, police said there were no signs of a break-in when Greenberg died. She also had no defensive wounds. 
Her death was ruled a homicide the next day by then-Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne, even as he noted that she suffered knife wounds to the back of her neck, heart. She also had many bruises in various stages of healing. 
Investigators returning the next day to the apartment found it had been professionally cleaned, and devices owned by Goldberg had been removed by Goldberg’s uncle James Schwartzman, who was at the time the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board. 
In a lawsuit brought by Greenberg’s family in 2022, they alleged that errors in the handling of the investigation and evidence from the apartment was ’embarrassingly botched’ and resulted in a ‘cover up.’  

Now married with two kids Sam Goldberg, [photo], who live in Manhattan, says renewed scrutiny on his fiancé’s death 25 years ago, after the recent Hulu documentary has made things ‘awful’ for him

The case received renewed national attention in a Hulu documentary, ‘Death in Apartment 603’, which premiered on September 29, 2025. It brought scrutiny to bear on Goldberg and his actions at the time of Greenberg’s death. Among them, the revelation that when Goldberg called 911 after he found Ellen’s body, he told dispatchers she ‘fell on a knife.’ 
Now a married father-of-two living in Manhattan, New York City, Sam Goldberg says renewed interest in investigating the death of his late fiancée, since Hulu released the documentary, has made things ‘awful’ for him.

Greenberg’s family attorney called a ruling last year stating that her manner of death was suicide, ‘an embarrassment to the city, and an insult to Ellen and her family’ 

Two years ago In 2024, errors in the investigation were acknowledged by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, even as it dismissed a lawsuit brought by Greenberg’s family to change her manner of death certificate. 
In a ruling, the court said it had ‘no choice under the law’ to have it changed, while acknowledging, ‘this court is acutely aware of the deeply flawed investigation of the victim’s death by the City of Philadelphia Police Department detectives, the City of Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Medical Examiner’s Office.’ 
It remains to be seen how the fresh probe plays out as it will focus on the way agencies handled the investigation, rather than Greenberg’s manner of death.  
Besides the office of the US Attorney, other agencies involved in Greenberg’s case include the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia Law Department, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.