Former Prosecutor on Ellen Greenberg's Death: Homicide or Suicide?

The Ellen Greenberg Case Overview

• 📌 Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old teacher, was found dead in her locked apartment in 2011 with over 20 stab wounds, a knife still in her chest.
• 💡 Initially ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, the ruling was later changed to suicide without clear explanation, a decision that has persisted for years.
• 🔍 Guy D'Andrea, a former homicide prosecutor for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, reviewed the case and concluded it was a homicide.

Discrepancies in the Suicide Ruling

• ⚠️ A key justification for the suicide ruling was the description of a deadbolt system that could only be locked from the inside; however, photographic evidence showed it was a hotel swing bar.
• 🩸 The medical examiner's office also cited the fiance's statement and the 911 call, but evidence suggested Ellen's body must have been moved after death due to blood patterns inconsistent with a seated position.
• 🔬 The autopsy revealed extensive bruising on Ellen's body, attributed by the medical examiner to Pilates, and later to her work as a first-grade teacher, explanations D'Andrea found absurd.

The 911 Call and Fiance's Statement

• 📞 The 911 call made by the fiance is described as one of the most bizarre, with inconsistencies in his account of entering the apartment and his reaction to finding Ellen.
• 🩸 Notably, the fiance had no blood on his body despite Ellen being covered in blood, and he did not immediately attend to her.
• ❓ He also misdescribed Ellen's position and only noticed the knife in her chest minutes into the call, after claiming to be preparing for CPR.

Investigation Flaws and Potential Cover-Up

• 🕵️ The initial police determination of suicide led to the scene being cleaned and released prematurely, hindering a proper investigation.
• 🚫 Police admitted they did not even document stab wounds to Ellen's back, raising questions about the basic investigative steps taken.
• ⚖️ D'Andrea believes the continued maintenance of the suicide ruling, despite clear evidence of homicide, may stem from fear of lawsuits or a reluctance to admit to a botched investigation.

Medical Examiner's Office Actions

• 🧐 The medical examiner's office changed its ruling from homicide to suicide after a closed-door meeting with police, which D'Andrea found highly irregular.
• 📄 D'Andrea also highlights that the medical examiner's office lied about conducting a neuropathologist examination in 2016, which was later done independently.
• 🔬 An independent neuropathologist determined the dura in Ellen's spinal column was pierced, incapacitating her and making self-infliction of the fatal wound impossible.

Hidden Evidence and Lingering Questions

• 🔍 Evidence of Ellen researching suicide methods surfaced years later, but D'Andrea questions its origin, as FBI examination of her devices found no such searches.
• ❓ D'Andrea suggests that whoever harmed Ellen benefits from the case being maintained as a suicide, and that the city of Philadelphia could benefit from avoiding large lawsuits.
• 💔 D'Andrea expresses that the case continues to trouble him due to the repeated miscarriage of justice and the lack of accountability from the involved entities.