Investigators in Chester County said they are unable to move forward with criminal charges in the 2011 stabbing of a Philadelphia woman whose death was initially ruled a homicide before the medical examiner switched it to suicide after police objected.

On Jan. 26, 2011, Ellen Greenberg, 27, was found dead by her fiancé in the kitchen of her apartment on Flat Rock Road in Philadelphia. The first-grade teacher had suffered 20 stab wounds.

In 2018, the investigation was turned over to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for review. The investigation was then turned over to Chester County detectives in August 2022 in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

On Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced that they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed and the investigation was placed as inactive.

Lamb McErlane attorneys, Joseph Podraza, Jr. and Will Trask represent Greenberg’s parents.

Joseph Podraza, Jr. released a statement in response to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office’s decision.

“Our conviction about Ellen having been murdered does not change due to the announcement by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Admittedly, the investigation conducted by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office was extremely limited and constrained. The Office told us that they did not investigate the core issues which we have raised which establish Ellen was murdered, and that evidence remains unchallenged. The independent forensic expert who they said they consulted during the course of the investigation was similarly bounded by his own limited background, an undergraduate degree in entomology (the study of insects) and a masters in criminal justice, but no medical school training, nor any training in the specialty of forensic pathology, both of which are necessary in order to competently assess the evidence uncovered in this case to date.

These unfortunate limitations and constraints notwithstanding, we do appreciate the District Attorney’s professional courtesy of speaking with the family and candidly acknowledging all these limitations and constraints. We also point out that another highly experienced homicide prosecutor while employed at the Philadelphia DA’s Office conducted his own independent review of this case, thoroughly investigated all the issues surrounding Ellen’s death, and reached the opposite conclusion, that Ellen was murdered. We now look forward to an upcoming trial where a full and forthright examination of the core issues surrounding Ellen’s murder may be publicly conducted before an independent Judge and jury of our peers.”

Lamb McErlane attorney Will Trask was interviewed by NBC Philadelphia, 6ABC and CBS News Philadelphia.