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Morbid

Episode Revisit: The Unexplained Death of Ellen Rae Greenberg

November 24, 2025 • 58m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

Hosts Ash and Elena discuss the suspicious death of Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old first-grade teacher found stabbed 20 times in her Philadelphia apartment in 2011. Despite overwhelming evidence pointing to homicide, including stab wounds to the back of her head and neck, authorities ruled her death a suicide. The case involves questionable police work, controversial forensic findings, and a family's ongoing fight for justice.

Introduction and Case Background

Ellen Greenberg was a beloved first-grade teacher from Pennsylvania, described as warm, joyful, and close with her parents Sandy and Joshua. She had recently gotten engaged to Sam Goldberg and was planning their August 2011 wedding. Though she experienced some work-related anxiety and stress, her psychiatrist noted she was not suicidal. On January 26, 2011, during a snowstorm, Ellen was found dead in her apartment with approximately 20 stab wounds.

  • Ellen Greenberg was Sandy and Joshua Greenberg's only child, described as having an infectious smile and warm personality
  • Ellen worked as a first-grade teacher and had recently gotten engaged to Sam Goldberg, with wedding plans for August 2011
  • Ellen was experiencing anxiety about work and wedding planning and had seen a psychiatrist three times, who noted she was NOT suicidal
  • On January 26, 2011, during a blizzard, Ellen was found dead in her apartment with approximately 20 stab wounds
" Ellen was a warm, joyful girl who loved to cook, loved fashion... she was a daddy's girl... she lit up a room, she had an infectious smile, and she was that girl that you could call if you needed someone. "

Discovery of Ellen's Body

Sam Goldberg returned from the gym to find the apartment door locked from inside with a swing bar security lock. After texting Ellen repeatedly with increasingly frustrated messages and seeking help from a security guard, Sam claimed he forced entry by breaking the lock. He found Ellen dead on the kitchen floor, stabbed multiple times with a knife still in her chest. His behavior raised some questions, including calling his uncle before 911 and asking "do I have to?" when told to perform CPR.

  • Sam couldn't get into the apartment because the swing bar security lock was engaged from inside
  • Sam sent increasingly frustrated texts to Ellen: 'hello,' 'open the door,' 'I'm getting pissed,' 'what the fuck,' and finally 'you have no idea'
  • Sam called his uncle (a judge) and his parents before calling 911 at 6:33pm, an hour after he started trying to enter
  • When the 911 operator told Sam to perform CPR, he responded 'do I have to?'
  • Ellen had been stabbed approximately 20 times in her chest, stomach, neck, and head, with the knife still lodged in her chest
" Do I have to? "

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