Ellen Rae Greenberg

Ellen Rae Greenberg

Ellen Greenberg was a 27-year-old first grade teacher at Juniata Park Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At approximately 6:40 p.m. on January 26, 2011, Ellen was pronounced dead as a result of twenty stab wounds, including ten to the back of her head and neck. In addition, there were eleven bruises in various stages of resolution on her right arm, abdomen, and right leg. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, the Medical Examiner, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, ruled her death a suicide. He later admitted that he had originally planned on ruling the manner of death either a homicide or undetermined, but changed it to suicide at the insistence of the police.

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Date:

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Crime:
Suspected Homicide
Location:

Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA

Age:

27

Occupation:

School Teacher

Photos

Childhood Photos

Crime Scene Photos

Autopsy Model Photos

Case Documents

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Internet Search Terms from Ellen’s Computer

12/18/2010 - 1/10/2011
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Medical Examiner’s Office Investigation Report

~1/26/2011
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Report of Death Investigation, Detective Sierra 9103

1/26/2011
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Medical Examiner’s Office Autopsy Report, Draft (Homicide)

1/27/2011
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Search Warrant

1/27/2011
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Death Certificate

1/28/2011
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Philadelphia PD Property Receipt

1/29/2011
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Medical Examiner’s Office Toxicology Report

2/8/2011
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Medical Examiner’s Office Autopsy Report

2/18/2011
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Amended Death Certificate

4/4/2011
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Opinion and Report by Cyril Wecht, MD, JD

1/11/2012
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Written Reprimand of Marlon Osbourne, MD

7/24/2012
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Written Reprimand of Marlon Osbourne, MD

8/31/2012
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Written Reprimand of Marlon Osbourne, MD

12/16/2013
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Opinion by Wayne K. Ross, MD

10/18/2016
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Opinion by Wayne K. Ross, MD

1/10/2017
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Report by Consulting Detective Scott Eelman

4/14/2017
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Report by Henry C. Lee, PhD and Elaine M. Pagliaro, MS, JD

1/29/2018
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Email from Lucy Rourke-Adams to Stephanie Farr

7/12/2018
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PA Attorney General Statement to Stephanie Farr

3/8/2019
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Thomas P Brennan Equivocal Death Analysis

5/1/2019
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Letter from Joe Podraza to Sam Gulino, MD

6/19/2019
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Neuropathology Examination Notes by Lyndsey Emery, MD, PhD

8/29/2019
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Letter from Joe Podraza to Marlon Osbourne

9/3/2019
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Report from Lewis Lazarus, PhD

9/20/2019
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Email from Joe Podraza to Ellen Berkowitz

8/13/2020
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Email from Ellen Berkowitz to Joseph Podraza and William Trask

1/25/2021
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Deposition of Sam Gulino, MD

4/20/2021
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Deposition of Marlon Osbourne, MD

4/22/2021
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Letter from Ellen Berkowitz to Joe Podraza and William Trask

4/27/2021
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Email from Ellen Berkowitz to Joe Podraza and William Trask

5/4/2021
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Email from William Trask to Ellen Berkowitz and Joe Podraza

5/4/2021
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Deposition of Lyndsey Emery MD

5/11/2021
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BioMx Consulting Letter to Joe Podraza

5/12/2021
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Email from William Trask to Ellen Berkowitz and Joe Podraza

5/18/2021
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Email from Ellen Berkowitz to William Trask

5/20/2021
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Email from Ellen Berkowitz to Joe Podraza and William Trask

5/25/2021
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Report by Wayne K Ross, MD

6/1/2021
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Declaration of Lyndsey Emery MD, PhD

6/10/2021
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Declaration of Kirsten E. Heine

6/15/2021
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Email from Ellen Berkowitz to William Trask

6/21/2021
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Declaration of Philip Hanton

6/28/2021
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Declaration of Melissa Ware

7/1/2021

Court Documents— Greenberg v. Osbourne et al

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Civil Complaint

10/15/2019
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Complaint Cover Sheet

10/15/2019
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Complaint Final

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit A

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit B

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit C

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit D

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit E

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit F

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit G

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit H

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit I

10/15/2019
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Complaint, Exhibit J

10/15/2019
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Praecipe to File Affidavit of Service

10/29/2019
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Praecipe to Reinstate Complaint

11/06/2019
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Praecipe for Entry of Appearance

11/12/2019
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Entry of Appearance

11/12/2019
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Defendants’ Preliminary Objections

11/12/2019
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Memo of Law in Support of Preliminary Objections to Plaintiffs’ Complaint

11/12/2019
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Praecipe to File Affidavit of Service

11/18/2019
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Plaintiff’s Memo of Law in Opposition to Defendants’ Preliminary Objections

12/3/2019
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Plaintiff’s Answer to Defendants’ Preliminary Objections

12/3/2019
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Order 14

1/7/2020
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Defendants’ Answer and New Matter to Plaintiffs’ Complaint

1/27/2020
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Case Management Order 19

1/27/2020
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Reply to Defendants’ New Matter

2/14/2020
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Motion for Extraordinary Relief

12/28/2020
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Motion Cover Sheet

12/28/2020
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Order 27

1/19/2021
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Revised Case Management Order 32

1/19/2021
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Motion for Extraordinary Relief

2/26/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

2/26/2021
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Order 38

3/19/2021
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Revised Case Management Order 39

3/19/2021
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Motion for Extraordinary Relief

4/21/2021
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Order 50

4/28/2021
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Proposed Revised Order

4/28/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

4/28/2021
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Motion to Compel Ware Video

6/4/2021
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Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel

6/7/2021
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Revised Case Management Order 57

6/7/2021
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Praecipe for Contested Discovery Motion – Disciplinary Records

6/11/2021
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Praecipe for Contested Discovery Motion – Ware Video

6/11/2021
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Motion to Compel Ware Video, Defendants’ Exhibits

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 1

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 2

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 3

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 4

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 5

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 6

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 7

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement, Binder 8

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel – Ware Video

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel – Disciplinary Records

6/21/2021
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Defendants’ Exhibits in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel – Disciplinary Records

6/21/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

6/21/2021
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Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgement

7/2/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

7/2/2021
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Reply in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Production of Disciplinary Records

7/6/2021
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Reply in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Production of Ware Video

7/6/2021
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Plaintiffs Answer in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgement

7/21/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

7/21/2021
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Defendants’ Reply Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgement

7/28/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

7/28/2021
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Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgement

8/2/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

8/2/2021
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Plaintiffs’ Reply Memorandum in Further Support of Motion for Summary Judgement

8/17/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

8/17/2021
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Letter 85

9/27/2021
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Order 87

10/21/2021
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Order 88

10/21/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

11/19/2021
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Defendant’s Motion to Amend an Interlocutory Order

11/19/2021
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Notice of Trial Attachment

11/22/2021
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Order 101

11/29/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

12/23/2021
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Motion for Stay of Trial

12/23/2021
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Exhibit A to Motion for Stay of Trial

12/23/2021
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Exhibit B to Motion for Stay of Trial

12/23/2021
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Order 108

12/23/2021
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Motion Cover Sheet

1/11/2022
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Opposition to Motion to Stay

1/11/2022
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Order 120

1/31/2022
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Order of the Appellate Court 122

2/4/2022
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Appellate Court Docket Sheet

4/13/2022
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Trial Court Opinion 126

6/8/2022

Court Documents— Greenberg v. Gulino et al

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Civil Cover Sheet

6/15/2022
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Praecipe to Issue Writ of Summons

6/15/2022
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Writ of Summons

6/15/2022
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Attachment to Writ of Summons

6/15/2022
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Affidavit of Service, Sam Gulino

6/17/2022
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Civil Cover Sheet

10/26/2022
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Complaint

10/26/2022
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Defendant’s Preliminary Objections (Ponterio, Esq.)

December 8, 2022
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Exhibit A to Defendant’s Preliminary Objections (Ponterio, Esq.)

December 8, 2022
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Defendant’s Preliminary Objections (Gulino, Osbourne, Emery, McNamee)

December 27, 2022
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Plaintiff’s Answer to Defendant’s Preliminary Objections (Ponterio, Esq.)

December 28, 2022
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Reply in Further Support of Ponterio’s Preliminary Objections to Complaint

January 11, 2023
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Answer to Preliminary Objections (Gulino, Osbourne, Emery, McNamee)

January 17, 2023
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Order Dismissing Complaint Against ADA Ponterio

February 2, 2023

Schwartzman/Goldberg Family Demand for Retraction

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Letter from Schwartzman Attorney to Gavin Fish, Demand for Retraction

8/1/2022
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Response Letter to Schwartzman Attorney re: Demand for Retraction

8/5/2022
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Response Letter from Fish Attorney to Schwartzman Attorney re: Demand for Retraction

8/19/2022
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Response Letter from Schwartzman Attorney to Fish Attorney re: Demand for Retraction

8/23/2022

Timeline

January 26, 20111:26 PM

Ellen Puts Gas in Her Car

Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20112:30 PM

Ellen Calls Vetri Restaurant

It is unclear if she was calling to make, confirm, or cancel a reservation.
Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20113:47 PM

Ellen Sends Her Final Text

Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20114:46 PM

Last Activity on Ellen’s Computer

Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20114:50 PM

Sam Goes to the Gym

Sam Goldberg enters the gym on the first floor of Venice Lofts Apartments
Source: Security Footage

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January 26, 20115:26 PM

Sam Exits the Gym

Sam Goldberg exits the gym on the first floor of Venice Lofts Apartments
Source: Security Footage

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January 26, 20116:14 PM

Sam Goldberg calls Kamian Schwartzman

Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20116:26 PM

Sam Goldberg Answers a Phone Call from James Schwartzman

Source: Confidential

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January 26, 20116:28 PM

Last Time Sam is Seen on Video

Sam Goldberg is last seen on the video provided by the Philadelphia Police Department.
Source: Security Footage

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January 26, 2011~6:31 PM

Sam Goldberg Makes 911 Call

Source: Autopsy Report

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January 26, 20116:33 PM

Emergency Responders are Dispatched to Ellen & Sam’s Apartment

Source: Autopsy Report, Video interview with Tom Brennan

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January 26, 20116:34 PM

Kamian Schwartzman Arrives On-Scene

Source: Security Footage

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January 26, 20116:36 PM

Emergency Responders Arrive On-Scene

Sam is present. Kamian Schwartzman is present. At some point his uncle, James C. Schwartzman, is present. Mr. Schwartzman is a former prosecutor, and at the time he was Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). He has been described as “politically important” in the city of Philadelphia. As of the time of this writing, he is the President Judge of the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline.

Source: Autopsy Report, Video interview with Tom Brennan

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January 26, 20116:40 PM

Ellen Greenberg is Pronounced Dead

Source: Autopsy Report

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January 26, 2011Sometime that evening

Sam Goldberg is taken in handcuffs to be Questioned by Police

Source: Video interview with Tom Brennan

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January 26, 2011

Sam Goldberg Questioned by Police in the Presence of an Attorney

Source: Video interview with Tom Brennan

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January 27, 2011Early morning hours

Ellen Greenberg is taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner

Medical Examiner’s Office investigator Stephen Olszewski stays on-scene to ensure that the knife in Ellen’s chest isn’t removed. He accompanies Ellen to the morgue.

Source: Video interview with Tom Brennan

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January 27, 2011Beginning at 9:00 AM

Autopsy is Performed by Dr. Marlon Osbourne

Source: Autopsy Report

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January 27, 2011

James C. Schwartzman Requests Access to Apartment

According to Melissa Ware, the apartment manager at the time, she is contacted by Mr. Schwartzman asking for her help entering the apartment in order to get a suit for Sam for Ellen’s funeral. Ms. Ware contacts the police to ask permission to let him enter. They tell her that the crime scene has been releases, so he may enter. They also tell her she can call Crime Scene Cleanup to clean-up the apartment.

Source: Declaration of Melissa Ware

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January 27, 2011

Melissa Ware Creates a Video Record of the Apartment

In order to protect her employer, Ms. Ware makes a video recording of the state of the apartment prior to having the apartment cleaned.

Source: Declaration of Melissa Ware

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January 27, 2011

James C. Schwartzman Removes Cell Phones, Laptops, and other Items from Apartment

Source: Thomas P Brennan Equivocal Death Analysis

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January 27, 2011

Crime Scene Cleanup Cleans Apartment

Source: Declaration of Melissa Ware

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January 27, 2011

Marlon Osbourne Creates Draft Autopsy Report, Finds Homicide

Source: Medical Examiner’s Office Autopsy Report, Draft (Homicide)

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January 27, 2011

With Initial Finding of Homicide, Police Apply for Search Warrant

Source: Search Warrant

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January 28, 201110:51 AM

Search Warrant Executed

Police sieze assorted clothing, blood samples, a diamond ring, latent prints, and a Rubber Maid container. Of course, this all happened after the crime scene was professionally cleaned.

Source: Search Warrant

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January 29, 2011

Cell Phones and Laptops are Retrieved by Police from James C. Schwartzman

Source: Thomas P Brennan Equivocal Death Analysis

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Venice Lofts Apartments Surveillance Footage

This is all the surveillance footage the Philadelphia Police Department would release to the Greenberg family. There are some people that I suspect were on-scene shortly after Ellen died. They are James Schwartzman, Sam Goldberg's uncle who is a prominent attorney in Philadelphia; Kamian Schwartzman, Sam Goldberg's cousin and close friend who is also James Schwartzman's son; Richard Goldberg, Sam Goldberg's father; and Mindy Goldberg, Sam Goldberg's mother.

It's possible that when they arrived, they were caught on camera. Please take some time, even if it's just a few minutes every couple of days, and watch these videos. Be on the lookout for the four people named above. If you think you spot one of them, use this Google Form to tell me about it.

Sam Goldberg can be seen in the "Camera 2, 3pm to 5pm" video entering the gym at about 4:54:37. He can be seen leaving the gym in the "Camera 2, 5pm to 7pm" video at about 5:30:15. He also shows up in the "Camera 3, 5pm to 7pm" video at about 5:30:33, 5:31:36, 6:10:24, 6:13:07, 6:25:15, and 6:32:40.

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James Schwartzman
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Kamian Schwartzman
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Richard Goldberg
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Mindy Goldberg
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James Schwartzman on far right. Kamian Schwartzman with hand on Sam Goldberg's shoulder. Richard Goldberg in purple tie third from left.

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Richard, Sam, & Mindy Goldberg