Federal prosecutors in the United States have launched a fresh inquiry into the controversial death of a schoolteacher 15 years ago, a case that has been mired in dispute since she was found with multiple stab wounds yet her death was officially classified as a suicide.
A Death Shrouded in Mystery
On 26 January 2011, 27-year-old teacher Ellen Greenberg was discovered dead in the Philadelphia apartment she shared with her fiancé, Sam Goldberg. He found her slumped against the kitchen cabinets, her legs splayed. The scene was horrific: she had been stabbed at least 20 times, with ten wounds concentrated in the back of her neck. A 10-inch knife was embedded in her chest.
Initially, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death a homicide. However, in a move that stunned her family and friends, the classification was abruptly changed to suicide just two weeks later. This decision ignited a relentless, decade-long legal battle by Greenberg's parents, Josh and Sandra Greenberg, who have always maintained their daughter was murdered.
The Federal Subpoenas and a Family's Hope
According to a report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has now issued subpoenas for documents. These subpoenas target the Philadelphia Police Department and other agencies involved in the original, highly-scrutinised investigation.
The federal inquiry is understood to be focusing not on re-examining the manner of Greenberg's death itself, but on investigating how multiple city and state agencies handled the case in the years that followed. Prosecutors are reportedly examining whether any procedural missteps could amount to criminal corruption.
Joseph Podraza Jr., the attorney for Ellen's parents, told the newspaper the family was "ecstatic" at the news. "If that is in fact correct... this is exactly what we’ve wanted all along," he said, adding they were grateful to the U.S. attorneys and ready to assist.
A Long and Winding Legal Path
The case has seen numerous twists over 15 years. In January 2025, Marlon Osbourne, the medical examiner who first ruled the death a homicide before changing it to suicide, submitted a sworn statement saying he now believed it should be classified as something other than suicide.
A month later, the City of Philadelphia reached a $650,000 settlement with the Greenbergs and agreed to an independent review of the autopsy. The family dropped their lawsuits in exchange.
However, in a major setback in October 2025, Philadelphia's Chief Medical Examiner Lindsay Simon again ruled the death a suicide. Her report noted additional injuries, bringing the total to 31 bruises and 23 stab wounds, but concluded Greenberg "would be capable of inflicting these injuries herself."
The Greenbergs have consistently argued that the city labelled the death a suicide to cover up a botched homicide investigation. "Our daughter did not commit suicide — we know that," Josh Greenberg has stated. "She was murdered."
Sam Goldberg, the fiancé who found her, has never been accused or charged. In a rare 2024 statement to CNN, he said, "Mental illness is very real and has many victims," and expressed hope others would not face similar accusations after such a loss.
The full scope of the new federal investigation remains unclear, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office stating it could "neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation." For Ellen Greenberg's family, it represents a pivotal, long-awaited step in their quest for answers.
