The city of Philadelphia has reached a settlement with the parents of Ellen Greenberg, a teacher whose 2011 death was initially ruled a suicide despite the presence of nearly two dozen stab wounds and bruises. As part of the settlement, the Philadelphia medical examiner’s office will re-examine the manner of death, attorney Joseph Podraza confirmed.
Ellen Greenberg, 27, was found dead in her kitchen on January 26, 2011, amidst a blizzard. The scene included a half-made fruit salad and a knife in her chest. A judge recently allowed a 2022 lawsuit filed by her parents against the city to proceed to trial, and court documents reveal that Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the forensic pathologist with the city medical examiner's office, has retracted his original suicide ruling.
Dr. Osbourne, who initially ruled the death a homicide before changing it to suicide after a private meeting with police, now states in legal documents: “It is my professional opinion Ellen’s manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide.” He further admits having access to new information that could have influenced his earlier judgment.
The Greenbergs’ lawsuit alleges a cover-up and conspiracy to misrepresent their daughter's homicide as a suicide. While the settlement amount remains undisclosed, the case highlights concerns about the initial investigation, including the professional cleaning of the crime scene before detectives arrived with a warrant, and the removal of Greenberg's personal belongings, including her computer and cellphone, by her fiancé's uncle, a prominent Pennsylvania judge. The judge's representative maintains that police granted permission for the removal of items to prevent theft.
At the time of her death, Greenberg had recently sent out save-the-date notices for her upcoming wedding. The autopsy report noted 20 stab wounds, including 10 to her back, and bruises in various stages of healing. The Greenbergs have been fighting for justice for their daughter since her death, previously filing a lawsuit in 2019 to change the death certificate ruling. This case is ongoing before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
