Philadelphia investigators urge DOJ to open corruption probe into 2011 death of Ellen Greenberg

Growing calls for a corruption probe into Philadelphia have emerged following the suspicious death of Ellen Greenberg, a teacher who was found dead with 20 stab wounds in 2011. Her death was initially ruled a suicide despite evidence suggesting otherwise.

Tom Brennan, a former Pennsylvania state trooper and the private investigator for Greenberg’s family, is urging President Donald Trump’s Justice Department to launch an investigation into Philadelphia. Brennan also criticized Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for his handling of the case.

Dr. Marlon Osbourne, a former member of the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office, originally ruled Greenberg’s death a homicide but changed it to a suicide days later after a closed-door meeting with police. The details of that meeting have never been made public, and the attorney for Greenberg's parents said no records were provided regarding who from the police department participated or what was discussed. Brennan argued that the secret meeting alone warranted a corruption probe.

Greenberg’s parents have long pushed for a new investigation. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner cited a conflict of interest due to a past attorney-client relationship with the family and sent the case to the state attorney general’s office, which was led at the time by Shapiro. Brennan stated that Shapiro’s office failed to take meaningful action on the case for years.

"Don't tell me about corruption in Philadelphia," Brennan told Fox News. "These people are foul. They are really foul."

Last week, Shapiro commented on the case, saying his office’s investigation "pointed toward a suicide." However, in 2022, an independent journalist released a video alleging that Shapiro had "a clear conflict of interest" in the case because Greenberg’s fiancé’s family was among his campaign donors. Shapiro recused himself from the case days later, denying "an actual conflict" but acknowledging the “appearance" of one.

Brennan also pointed out that Shapiro had hired a former Philadelphia prosecutor who previously oversaw Greenberg’s case and then led the review in his office, calling it another conflict of interest. He suggested that political motives played a role in the lack of progress.

"Who needed the Philadelphia police and the Philadelphia vote in order to get into the governor's office? Attorney General Shapiro," Brennan said. "This guy puts politics above everything."

The case was later sent to the Chester County District Attorney's Office, where it was reexamined for two years. However, prosecutors ultimately determined there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges.

Greenberg was found dead in the kitchen of her apartment during a snowstorm in 2011. Her fiancé, Samuel Goldberg, called 911 after discovering her body. She had multiple bruises, and half of her stab wounds were inflicted from behind. Evidence indicated that at least one of the wounds was inflicted after her death.

Dr. Osbourne recently reversed his suicide ruling in a letter to a Pennsylvania court, more than a decade after his initial determination.

“It is my professional opinion Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide," he wrote. "Since issuing the amended death certificate, I have become aware of additional information I did not have at the time of issuing the amended death certificate which may have impacted my opinion."