City of Philadelphia Office of the Medical Examiner Cm Numb" 11700420 321 university Avenue Date oiDcath 01/25/2011 - Investigator Stephen Olszewrlti Philadelphia PA 19104 Date Today 04/15/2011 INVESTIGATION REPORT Decadent: ELLEN R. GREENBERG ORIGIN AND DETAILS On 1/25/11 at193], Del. Sierra 9103 of Homicide, called to report the death of the above decedent found in her apartment with a knife in her chest, AT SCENE arrived to the scene at 2027 and was rnet by Fifth District Police, Snipes 6358 and Young fi960, holding the log, NWDD Sgt. Ferguson doomet Veal 9216 and Det Revcll 9020, the assigned. DC 11705. 001577 Homicide Sierra 9103 and Peters 351 arrived a short time later. lhe decedents trance, Samuel Goldberg along with his family and some lriends are also present BACKGROUND The decedents Fiance, Samuel GOLDBERG reportedly left the decedent at the apartment around 1545 to go to the gym, He returned around 17154730 and was unable to get into the apartment. He opened the door with his keys but the door was secure trorn the inside. He pruceeded to try and contact the decedent via text messages, telephone calls and emails tor approximately an hour bctore he torced entry into the apartment Art apartment scct'irity man was reportedly present during the entry. the immediately discovered her and called 911, radio time is at 1333. He was brietly instructed to start CPR until he noticed a knite in her chest, then was instructed to stop PFD Medics responded and pronounced death at 1840. BODY AND VICINITY The location ot death is ut the kitchen at the decedents apartment located at the Venice Lott Apartments, 4601 Flat Rock Rd unit 603, I'hlladelphia, PA 19127. lt is a two bedruom apartment on the em iloor of building, shared by the decedent with her fiance, Samuel GOLDBERG. The apartment is well kept, clean. The inside lock to the tront door, a common latch/ solid bar door guard, is broken with the screws on the door loose, obviously iorced in when a locked position Throu ghout the apartment, there is no evidence ot a struggle. Furniture and items appear in place, nothing is obviously missing or disturbed. There are numerous valuables present, money, keys, 3 laptop computers; one in the kitchen on the island (appears to be one in the master bedroom suite on the lloor (appears to be tho decedents, as evidenced by material and one on an additional bedroom desk (appears to be the decedents work computer, as evidenced by numerous teaching materials). The decedent is a teacher. There is no note found or anything indicative ot suicide on the computers or in rest ot the apartment. The only way to exit the apartment with the front doorway locked is through a rear slider leading to a patio. The patio is 6 stories high. There is snow present with no tracks or completely undisturbed. The ambient temperature is inside the apartment reads 69 Deg on a thermostat. The incident occurrcd durmg a winter snowstorm. INVESTIGATION REPORT Page 2 it" ELLEN R. GREENBERG 11-0042" Prescription medication recovered from a bed stand located in the master bedroom, Prescriber, Dr Ellen Berman -- alprazolam, clonazepam and zolpidem. A paper booklet is in the decedents pocketbook that's on a chair at me livmg room island, resembles a journal of her medications anrt her state of mind while taking, last dated 1/15. (see evidence for details), The decedents cell phone is in the master bathroom, Review of her call and message log xevedls' 1. last outgoing call was to a number -- on 1/26/11 at 1433 duration so seconds 2 last missed call was to a programmed, -- Additional missed calls from a programmed 5am Goldberg on 1 /2o/11 between 1730-1742 and programmed Venice Lofls-- 1/15/11 between 180771810 last outgoing text to a programmed on 1/15/11 at 1547 4. last incoming texts and an email from a programmed Sam Goldberg on 1/26/11 between 1732-1754 .0 Hello open the door what doin int getting pissed hello you better have an excuse what the fuck have no idea The decedent is on the hardwood kitchen floor, located ,ust inside the door entrance. The decedent is found supine with her head and some of her upper body/shoulders resting against the lower half of the white kitchen cabinets next to the range. Her body. starting with the head is facing north and the legs west. She is clad in a zipper up dark colored shirt overtop a t-shirt, grey sweatpano, underwear, and light brown boots. A pair of eyeglasses are on the floor to the right of the decedent, A white towel is grasped in her left hand. A hair tie 0! scrunchie is on her right wrist. There are no personal effeco on the body. Upon further examination of the body, Lhe decedent has a knife embedded in her left chest, through her clothing There are multiple stab wounds examined at the scene; at the chest where the knife [5 located, a few superficial grouped nearby, one to the left upper chest near the clavicle, 2 more at the mid chest between and just below the breasts There are defects to the shirts consistent with the underlying wounds. There are no defense injuries to the hands, wrists or forearms The right hand is closed ui a loose fist, postmortem at arrival at 21127 and 2155 are the same. The body is mosfly flaccid The hands appear to be stiff body is cool to the touch at the and warm to the [ouch at the torso, from and back. Lividity inconspicuous Findings are "insistent with Culrent position of the body lilood is present on the head, in the hair and neck. The right hand has blood on it On the front side other shirts, along her pants on the front side and on the top of both of her boots is blood, The right boot has blood on the sole. The blood around her his generally confined to the area of the body, on the floor underneath and on the fate of the cabinets behind her One small blood spatter is on the cabinet to the left of the body. Two separate drops of blood spatter are on the granite counter top above her (see pictures) Two kitchen knives are in the sink adjacent to the body They are free of any blood or tissue The sink underneath is dry and aLso bears no evidence of blood or tissue. A knife block is on the counter between the sink and range, it is turned over to the side The three utensils are a spatula, fork and pearing knife, all that bears no evidence ot blood or tissue. The knife in her body is consistent with the knife set found in the sink and the Heck. 20M INVESTIGATION REPORT Page 3 of 4 ELLEN R. GREENBERG 11--00420 INTERVIEWS Police at the scene provided the miormation described In the backgmund section. Unltormed police bneiiy canvassed the hall. At the time, no neighbors reported any loud noises or arguments Fiancee. Samuel GOLDBERG: Police initially interviewed him He provided the Information described in the background section He was taken to NWDD for further Interviews I'm" - ushua and Sandra Greenbers- _Interviewed 1/27/11 at 0741. The rdenaticahon was completed via telephone by the decedents parents, Icshua and Sandra GREENBERG. They were notified ot the death by parents oi the decodents trancee. Mom states she last talked to the doredent the same day at 0700 when they were bath (in their way to work. They had a pleasant conversation. She- gave no indication that something was rmminently wrong The decedent has been battling issues with anxiety since the end of last year Mom states she was "struggling with something", for which she urged her to seek help. she was seeing a Ellen HERMAN, in Marion Station The decedent as described as anxious, insecure, nul sure of herself and not liking how she lelt, characteristics that were not the norm her entire life. he decedent expressed to [he parents that sho was a bit overwhelmed with her classroom work. The decedent: occupation is a teacher (or the School District of Philadelphia, currently teaching at luniata Academy Elementary School. employed for 3 years She is described as a bright woman, who was very successful and recently received her master's degree in Education and certified in Reading specialty. The day the incident occurred is the same day that school grades were to be handed tn The decedent was in a committed relationship with Sam GOLDBERG They have been together tor 3 years, recently engaged (we) the summer. The parents have no reservations about their relationship. They described the fiance Sam as a "fine young man They were happy to have him as an in--law They have no knowledge oi any verbal or physical abuse. The parents deny any previous suicide attempts oi ideations The incident is a surprise to them despite her issues with anxiety. Ellen lzerman, -- interviewed via phone 1/27/11 atmu. When notified oi the death, EERMAN was upset. she states that the decedent was a new patient of hers, only seeing her 3 times 1/12/11.1/17/1l and 1/19/11. She was scheduled for an appointment 1/27/11, The decedent presented initially as severe anxiety ior 2 months. During her brief sessions it was believed that she was having dittrculty with wnrk, overwhelmed and felt pressure. She did mention that she was doing well but the school district changed some regulations, She also had issues with dirtrcult students. She didn't know whether to quit or Wark through it BERMAN was in the process of developing a treatment plan and was in contact with the decedents mother who called expressing concerns for her daughter. There was never any feeling of suicidal thoughts. When asked about her the decedent had nothing but good things to say about him. mentioned they were getting married, and he was wonderl'ul. HERMAN even noted a smile when she spoke ot him. HERMAN recalls asking about abuse, the decedent denied any verbal or physical 30M INVESTIGATION REPORT Page 4 0H ELLEN Rl GREENBERG 11-00420 The den-dent was mmally prescnbed medication, although she expressed lhe uneasiness of rakrng She heed fink, and then switched la low dose ofxanax. Aflex no success, BERMAN prescnbed ambicm and clonopln n. help her get sleep. There was never any Indication of abusIve behnvlor. ACTION The scene body were examined, Interviews were conclucled, and phomgraphs were lakcn The Knu'e was kepl in place during The Rx mods and small baokIel was taken as evidence. The body was oldeIed for lo lhe MEO vIa Pollcc Wagon for further poshnoxlem examinahun COMMENTS "12 kmfe recovered from autopsy rs a smgle edged serratpd hlnde appmximaluly 12 5 In length and 5 cm widv Thu Is also approxlmalely 12 5 cm In length. ll is a CUTCO uk knife VIdeo IS available For {urthEI all Contact 'Re/n to em and cusefilz ve/erean 4an