Judge shocked by mistake at location of ‘suicide’ where teacher was discovered with 20 stab wounds

The parents of 27-year-old Ellen Greenberg, a Philadelphia teacher whose 2011 death was ruled a suicide after she was found with nearly two dozen stab wounds and covered in bruises, appeared in court last week, where a judge told them the city’s suicide declaration was “puzzling.”

Greenberg was found in her kitchen with 20 stab wounds and a knife in her chest with a half-made fruit salad on the countertop during a blizzard on Jan. 6, 2011. Her parents, Dr. Josh and Sandee Greenberg, have been entangled in legal battles with the government since their daughter’s death, fighting the determination that it was a suicide.

Oral arguments were heard on Dec. 11 in a Philadelphia courtroom as part of a 2022 lawsuit the Greenbergs filed. The lawsuit accuses local officials and the medical examiner’s office of covering up their daughter’s death and participating in a “concealed conspiracy for the purpose of disguising Ellen’s homicide as a suicide,” according to legal documents. This was the first time the Greenbergs sat in a courtroom and listened to arguments in their daughter’s case.

“I feel like we’re advocating for her,” Sandee said in a statement to Fox News Digital after the hearing. “We are getting closer to justice for Ellen. We are very determined and not giving up.”

The knife found piercing the chest of 27-year-old Philadelphia teacher Ellen Greenberg has never been fingerprinted, according to the attorney for her parents, who are suing officials over an alleged cover-up. (Fox News)

In addition to their latest lawsuit, the Greenbergs previously filed another active lawsuit in 2019, aiming to have the designation of “suicide” on her death certificate replaced with “homicide” or “undetermined.” That case is pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Philadelphia Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. They have previously declined to discuss the case. Goldberg did not immediately respond for comment.

A representative for Schwartzman previously responded to the claims that he removed items from the scene on his behalf, telling Fox News Digital that police gave Schwartzman permission to go in and take Greenberg’s belongings, confirming he had removed her computers and cellphones. 

Fox News’ Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.