A pathologist’s disputed conclusion that Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old woman from Philadelphia who died from 20 stab wounds, committed suicide, is set for reevaluation after Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court accepted arguments from her parents and their attorney.
The family was informed of the court’s decision to hear their case on Tuesday, as confirmed by Greenberg’s mother, Sandee Greenberg, to Fox News Digital. The court will consider whether the parents, acting as executors of her estate, possess the legal authority to contest the medical examiner’s verdict.
Previously, a panel of appellate court judges rejected the parents’ appeal to compel the Philadelphia medical examiner to change Greenberg’s death classification from suicide to homicide or undetermined. The panel concluded that the parents did not have standing.
Nonetheless, the judges criticized the city, police, and the medical examiner’s office for their handling of the investigation.
PHILADELPHIA SUICIDE LABEL FOR WOMAN WHO WAS STABBED 20 TIMES IGNORES HOMICIDE EVIDENCE: EXPERTS
Images of Ellen Greenberg shared by friends and family. (Justice For Ellen)
Greenberg’s parents alleged a cover-up regarding her murder and promised to escalate their fight to the state’s Supreme Court, ultimately succeeding last week despite warnings from outside experts about the challenges they would face.
“We have always questioned why we lacked standing,” commented her father, Dr. Joshua Greenberg, to Fox News Digital. “Our journey began as a pursuit for justice for Ellen, but now we’re fighting for standing and the right to contest the medical examiner’s ruling. As it stands, the medical examiner’s conclusion is unchallengeable.”
This is a significant victory for us.
PHILLY MAYOR FACING SCRUTINY AS THE CITY AVOIDS REINVESTIGATING ‘SUICIDE’ OF WOMAN STABBED 20 TIMES
A rendering depicting multiple stab wounds that Ellen Greenberg sustained. (Tom Brennan)
Following Greenberg’s death, a forensic pathologist from the city medical examiner’s office, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, initially ruled it a homicide before reclassifying it as a suicide after a private meeting with police.
Greenberg was found dead in her kitchen in January 2011, suffering from 20 stab wounds, including 10 to her back, with some potentially inflicted post-mortem, according to legal documents. Her body exhibited bruises at various stages of healing.
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Ellen Greenberg in a family photo from an undetermined date. (Greenberg family)
Investigators discovered an unfinished fruit salad on the counter along with indications of a struggle, such as a knife block that had been toppled over.
Authorities also noted potential tampering with the door lock and that her body may have been moved, according to her parents’ lawyer, Joe Podraza. He revealed to Fox News Digital that the knife found at the site had never been fingerprinted.
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Dr. Joshua and Sandee Greenberg, Ellen’s parents, during an interview with FOX Nation. (Fox News)
The crime scene was cleared before detectives executed a search warrant, per court filings. Additionally, the appellate court judges noted they had not received records of interviews conducted by police with the building’s security guard or with Greenberg’s fiancé, who called 911 after discovering her slumped on the ground in their apartment.
Despite this, city police and prosecutors have consistently maintained that her death was a suicide.
“They never mention the significant head injury to Ellen,” Dr. Greenberg stated on Monday. “They also overlook the restraints on her wrists, only stating there were no defensive wounds.”
He further emphasized that crucial video evidence is also missing.
“This case is downright absurd,” he expressed. “It’s a total mess.”
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Experts noted that the damage to Greenberg’s apartment door lock contradicts police claims that it had been forced open from outside. (Tom Brennan)
Various pieces of evidence in the case require closer examination, as stated by Podraza and the family’s private investigator, Tom Brennan. Even after suffering almost two dozen stab wounds in a kitchen drenched in blood, Greenberg was discovered holding a “pristine” white towel in her left hand.
PHILADELPHIA TEACHER’S SUSPICIOUS SUICIDE SCENE WAS CLEANED UP BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED WITH A WARRANT
Dr. Cyril Wecht, a renowned forensic pathologist who conducted an independent examination of the autopsy, identified evidence that strongly suggested homicide.
Wecht, who passed away in May, previously remarked to Fox News Digital that after assessing the forensic details, he believed it was “highly unlikely” that Greenberg had taken her own life.
A younger Ellen Greenberg smiles in a photo provided by a childhood friend and Penn State classmate. (Courtesy: Friends of Ellen Greenberg)
“Throughout my extensive career—having investigated many homicides and suicides—I have never encountered a case like this,” he remarked.
Dr. Henry Lee, another highly respected forensic pathologist, also reviewed the case and concluded that the angle of the wounds on the back of Greenberg’s head “would be difficult for her to inflict upon herself” and that her injuries pointed towards a homicide scene, as outlined in court records.
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The Chester County District Attorney’s Office has initiated an external investigation after Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner recused himself due to a conflict of interest and former Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, now serving as governor, faced allegations of another conflict of interest.
Dr. Osbourne has relocated to Florida, where he now works for the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office. He has not responded to inquiries regarding the Greenberg case.
