CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. — The Chester County District Attorney's Office on Friday announced that it is placing its investigation into the 2011 death of Ellen Greenberg in Philadelphia into an inactive status after determining there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a crime was committed.
Greenberg, 27, was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment on January 26, 2011. Her death was initially investigated by Philadelphia Police in coordination with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.
Police considered her death a suicide because her apartment door was locked from the inside and her boyfriend — who said he found her after breaking down the door — had no defensive wounds.
Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne initially ruled her death a homicide, noting the large number of stab wounds, including 10 to the back of her neck. After police publicly challenged the findings, Osbourne switched the ruling to suicide without explanation.
Greenberg's parents, who were skeptical of the suicide ruling, attempted to have it changed back to homicide.
District Attorney Christopher De Barrena-Sarobe said investigators with his office took on the case in 2022 at the behest of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, which took over the investigation in 2018.
In order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, in August of 2022, the investigation was turned over to the Chester County Detectives, De Barrena-Sarobe said.
"After receiving the case, Chester County investigators worked to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to reopen the investigation," De Barrena-Sarobe said in a press release Friday. "Detectives first conducted a thorough review of the PPD and OAG investigations. They then pursued additional investigative steps, including but not limited to, conducting new interviews and consulting with an independent forensic expert.
"After this review, the investigative team determined that, based on the current state of the evidence, we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed.
"This standard of proof—beyond a reasonable doubt—makes the criminal investigation different than other legal cases or issues that surround Ms. Greenberg’s death. Because we cannot meet our burden of proof with the information and evidence presently available, we placed this investigation in an inactive status."
Since there is no statute of limitations in Pennsylvania for criminal homicide cases, De Barrena-Sarobe said the case will remain open.
