In Jan 2011, Ellen Greenberg, a teacher was happily planning her wedding to her fiancé, Sam Goldberg. After a good consideration, the couple from Philadelphia compiled their guest list and sent out “save-the-date” announcements.
It was on the morning of Jan 26, 2011, when Ellen spoke to her mom, Sandee Goldberg, before leaving for her job as a first-grade teacher. Sam returned home that night to their beautiful luxury apartment and found Ellen dead on the kitchen floor. She was suffering from 20 stab wounds and bruises all over her body.
On Jan 27, 2011, the day after Ellen’s death, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the medical examiner performed an autopsy and declared her death a homicide.
>her jewish fiance sam goldberg claimed it was suicide
>the pathologist ruled greenberg’s death a homocide, after a closed door meeting the death was ruled a suicide
>the DA for this case was Josh Shapiro (Harris VP candidate) his “investigation” ruled it as a suicide. pic.twitter.com/Chh54blsBj— Alexander Augustine (@WurzelRoot) February 7, 2025
The autopsy revealed there were 10 out of 20 stab wounds she was suffering that went to the back for her neck. Osbourne noted that the bruises found all over the body were “in various stages of resolution,” CNN reported. Osbourne finally concluded that she was “stabbed by another person.”
Sandee, her husband, her father Josh Goldberg were still reeling from their daughter’s unlikely death at the age of 27, when the police said that Ellen had died by suicide. Her family was even more shocked when the law enforcement officials and Osbourne changed Ellen’s cause of death from suicide to homicide.
Ellen’s husband and family did not believe them, and apparently neither does longtime podcast and TV host Nancy Grace. She spent days and hours talking to the couple before working on her new book, ‘What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice.’
Nancy wrote the book along with Benée Knauer, which is debuting on Tuesday, Apr 22. The book takes a deep dive into the various twists and turns of the labyrinthine story surrounding the vicious young teacher’s murder
The former prosecutor and legal commentator says she immediately questioned Ellen’s death as soon as she learned about the tragic case. “I saw that this beautiful first-grade teacher had ‘committed suicide’ with 20 stab wounds and I knew immediately, ‘Something is very wrong,’” Grace says.
Nancy even met with the Greenbergs as she wanted to explore the matter even further. The Greenbergs have been fighting for their daughter’s death for years now which is ruled as a homicide. “I’ve been with them ever since,” she says. The couple filed litigation against the city of Philadelphia and local officials, claiming that Ellen’s death was mistakenly deemed suicide. In addition, more than 167,000 people signed an online petition requesting that the medical examiner re-examine Ellen’s case.
#EllenGreenberg | A judge has slammed officials who ruled the death of Ellen Greenberg who was found with 20 stab wounds a suicide, calling her cause of death ‘puzzling’.
Assistant Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne initially ruled her death a homicide, but changed… pic.twitter.com/FtyCsPwJqV
— 𝕏 🕵🏻♀️🦋L̤̮E̤̮G̤̮🅰️C̤̮Y̤̮🦋🕵🏻♀️ 𝕏 (@iamlegacy23) December 22, 2024
Ellen’s family finally won a victory in February, when medical examiner Osbourne said in a statement that “ after reviewing new information, he no longer believes Ellen killed herself and that the ruling should be designated as something other than suicide,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Grace has spent a lot of time with the couple over the past three years.
“I traveled to meet them in Pennsylvania,” she says. “I went to Ellen’s grave. I’ve gone to her synagogue and sat in the seat where her parents sat during the service.” In reporting out the book, Grace says, “We left no stone uncovered. We spoke to every person that would speak to us. Ellen Greenberg did not commit suicide. Ellen Greenberg was murdered.”
Grace questions how Ellen could possibly kill herself, “stabbing parts of her body no one could reach?” “She has stab wounds to her that were committed post-mortem after death,” Grace says. She also believes Ellen’s body, which was found propped up against the cabinets, with blood running “the wrong way,” was staged.
How Can 20 Stabs to the Bride’s Back Equal Suicide?
What Happened to #EllenGreenberg?
Reserve your copy: https://t.co/HiqG7d7C4t.
ALL PROCEEDS TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN pic.twitter.com/btya0T2zWf
— Nancy Grace (@NancyGrace) April 10, 2025
Till date no one has been charged in Ellen’s death and the Greenbergs hope officials and authorities will launch a criminal investigation into her case. “Now, I cannot speculate who killed her,” says Grace. “Incorrect speculation could actually hinder a future prosecution.
“But I do know this: She did not kill herself. And her parents have spent their life savings trying to clear Ellen’s name.”
Grace’s portion of proceeds from the book will go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC.) “Ellen loved her first graders,” says Grace. “The way I thought I could really honor Ellen is to give us money to help children.”
Nancy Grace’s book, What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice, comes out April 22 and is available for preorder now.
