Federal prosecutors have launched a fresh inquiry into the controversial death of a young teacher, more than a decade after she was found with multiple stab wounds in her Philadelphia apartment.
A Death Shrouded in Controversy
The case centres on Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old teacher who was discovered dead in her home on 26 January 2011. The initial ruling by the medical examiner was homicide. However, in a highly unusual move, the manner of death was controversially reclassified as suicide just two weeks later.
This decision has been fiercely disputed by Greenberg's family ever since. They have consistently argued that their daughter was murdered, pointing to the nature of her injuries, which included 20 stab wounds, several to the back of her neck.
A Long Fight for Answers
For fifteen years, Sam and Sandra Greenberg have campaigned relentlessly to have their daughter's case re-examined. Their efforts led to a $650,000 settlement with the City of Philadelphia and a mandated independent review of the investigation.
Despite these steps, the path to clarity has been fraught. A previous medical examiner changed his opinion on the case, and a court acknowledged the original investigations were 'deeply flawed'. Yet, in a blow to the family, Philadelphia's Chief Medical Examiner once again ruled the death a suicide in October 2025, even after identifying additional, previously undocumented injuries on Greenberg's body.
The Focus of the Federal Inquiry
The new federal investigation, announced on Thursday 15 January 2026, appears to shift the focus. According to reports, prosecutors are not primarily re-investigating the manner of death itself. Instead, they are examining whether city and state agencies committed criminal corruption during their handling of the case.
This suggests the probe will scrutinise the conduct of officials and the integrity of the investigative process, rather than attempting to directly overturn the suicide ruling for a third time.
For Ellen Greenberg's parents, this federal involvement represents a renewed, if different, hope for accountability. They continue to advocate for a trial, desperate for a conclusive answer to the question that has haunted them since 2011: who was responsible for their daughter's tragic death?
