Ellen Greenberg

D.A. Rules Schoolteacher Death a Suicide, Despite 20 Knife Wounds: ‘You Don’t Stab Yourself When You’re Dead’

A Pennsylvania District Attorney has reviewed the violent 2011 death of a schoolteacher and agreed with the original ruling that Ellen Greenberg died of suicide — a conclusion her family believes is incorrect.

As CBS Philadelphia reports, Greenberg, a teacher in Philadelphia, was found dead of numerous stab wounds in her Manayunk apartment in 2011. A medical examiner initially determined that Greenberg died of suicide, a ruling that her family has challenged. According to the report, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has closed the death investigation after an additional review that began in December 2021.

The District Attorney reaffirmed the suicide ruling, despite a more recent deposition from a medical expert who noted that some of the nearly 20 stab wounds showed no signs of hemorrhage, suggesting that Greenberg was not alive when those wounds were inflicted.

“It tells us that a number of the wounds might have been postmortem. At least one definitely.” Josh Greenberg, Ellen’s father, said in an interview with CBS Philadelphia. “If they’re postmortem that means they were done after death and Ellen could not have done them.”

The District Attorney declined to speak to the news outlet, while the Greenberg family attorney agreed with the assessment of Ellen’s parents and the medical expert who noted the lack of hemorrhage.

“You don’t stab yourself when you’re dead,” attorney Joseph Podraza said. “That’s just a basic medical proposition that no one disputes.”

“I’m completely disgusted,” Sandra Greenberg, Ellen’s mother, told CBS Phildelphia. “I just can’t believe what’s coming out of the office of a person that’s trying to run for governor.”

Ellen’s parents will now sue the city in an attempt to overturn the suicide ruling. Her parents told CrimeOnline their goal is to change the conclusion from suicide to undecided or homicide. They are also seeking an unbiased investigation and unbiased prosecutors.