"I can tell you from my experience as a homicide prosecutor, it wasn't treated with the level that an investigation would be treated if viewed by the authorities as a homicide on scene. Why it wasn't with upwards of 20 stab wounds and laceration to the head, I don't have a good answer for that." — Guy DeAndrea (Homicide Prosecutor)
"The Greenbergs have been searching for those answers for 11 years now, and a lot has changed during that time." — Narrator
"It was like hushed whispers and everyone staring wide eyed at each other, unsure what to say." — Narrator, describing the reaction at Ellen's funeral upon hearing the death was ruled a homicide.
The episode details the perplexing death of Ellen Greenberg, initially reported as a suicide. Upon finding her deceased in her apartment, her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, called 911. The scene presented multiple stab wounds, with a knife still lodged in Ellen's chest. Initial police assessment, coupled with the locked interior door and lack of obvious signs of forced entry by an intruder, led to a swift conclusion of suicide, despite the absence of a suicide note and the Medical Examiner's initial autopsy findings which revealed numerous stab wounds on her back and head, inconsistent with a self-inflicted injury of this nature.
As the investigation unfolded, significant questions arose regarding the handling of the crime scene, which was reportedly cleaned before a thorough forensic examination could be completed. Furthermore, the Medical Examiner's ruling subsequently changed from homicide to suicide, a decision that deeply troubled Ellen's parents. They, along with independent forensic experts, began to build a case suggesting homicide, pointing to inconsistencies in the wound patterns, the presence of bruises indicative of prior altercations, and the potential incapacitation from certain wounds that would preclude self-infliction.
The narrative highlights the prolonged legal battle waged by Ellen's parents to challenge the suicide ruling and uncover the truth. Over years, new evidence and expert opinions have emerged, often contradicting the official findings and pointing towards a potential cover-up or mishandled investigation. The episode concludes with recent legal developments, including a lawsuit and a settlement, indicating a shift in the official stance and a potential re-examination of Ellen's case, underscoring the enduring fight for justice.