Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: FAMILY FURY BRIDE ELLEN STABBED 20X RULED SUICIDE AGAIN IN SHOCK RPT: COVERUP?

Date: October 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This intense episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace explores the mysterious and highly contested death of Ellen Greenberg, a young bride found stabbed 20 times—including wounds in her back. Despite the seemingly overwhelming evidence suggesting homicide, her death has again been officially ruled a suicide based on a new, controversial report. Nancy Grace assembles an all-star panel, including legal experts, forensic professionals, journalists, and Ellen’s case advocates, to dissect the facts, spotlight alleged missteps and possible political cover-ups, and demand justice for the Greenberg family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Shocking New Suicide Ruling

• Nancy Grace opens with outrage at a newly released 30+ page medical examiner’s report reaffirming suicide, despite clear forensic red flags.

  “A rubber stamp on the last debacle… Thirty something pages of BS.” (03:08)

• Guy d’Andrea, former prosecutor, details the flaws:

  “The points she relied upon are nonsense… I cannot wrap my head around how she can make these conclusions in light of everything we know in 2025.” (03:35)

2. Crucial Evidence Ignored

• Bruising and Defense Wounds:
  • Multiple panelists note bruises on Ellen’s wrists and around her neck, consistent with restraint or defensive injuries, ignored in the report.
  • Nancy Grace: “You can actually see, see the fingertip markings. Bruising that is unrelated to the stabbings, and they are not in resolve… they occurred before the stabbings.” (04:11)
  • Bennet Nauer, co-author and case advocate:

    “She says in this report these bruises come from being a teacher of little children—many teachers, they are not covered in bruises.” (05:53)

3. Flawed Medical and Investigative Process

• Initial Homicide Ruling Reversed:

  • The original medical examiner, Dr. Merlin Osborne, ruled homicide. After a private meeting with a DA office representative (who later received immunity) and Philadelphia PD, the ruling changed to suicide.
  • Nancy Grace: “In sworn deposition, he states they coerced him, they persuaded him to change his ruling. Can nobody smell that except me? It stinks.” (08:34)

• Forensic Contradictions:

  • Dr. Kendall Crowns, Chief Medical Examiner:

    “The stab wound into the cervical spine would have made her a quadriplegic instantly. So she shouldn’t have been able to stab herself in the chest after that… It looks like a homicide to me.” (25:20, 26:38)

  • Blood flow patterns, wound directions, and biomechanical impossibility all challenge the suicide theory.
    • Quote: “Blood was dried from her nose going horizontally to her ear… If her face is upright, it should be coming down her face.” (12:17)

4. The 911 Call & Scene Inconsistencies

• Sam Goldberg, Ellen’s fiancé, is heard on the 911 call struggling to explain the scene:
  • “She stabbed herself? I don’t know… or she fell on it.” (20:11)
  • Inconsistencies about Ellen’s position—found sitting up but reported by Sam as lying on her back—lead Nancy to question if the body was moved (19:06).
• Discrepancy regarding the doorman’s presence:
  • Bennet Nauer: “He swears in a deposition he was not there, that he never left his post. Video shows that he did not leave his post…” (36:31–38:19)

5. Systemic Barriers and Alleged Cover-Up

• Judge Pat Dugan (guest):
  • Vows to fully review the case if elected DA:

    “We will look at all the testimony… and then I will make a determination whether or not this case should be reopened.” (09:40)

  • Addresses why DA office files aren’t handed over to Ellen’s parents despite the predecessor (Krasner) once representing them (43:24).
• John Lucey, investigative journalist:
  • Highlights the apparent “cherry-picking” and bias in official reports, and governmental reluctance to revisit the case for political reasons.
  • Notes the political peril for PA’s current governor, Josh Shapiro, should an official investigation contradict the long-standing suicide ruling (47:52).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nancy Grace on the new report:

  “It's total BS. And you know what? To you, Dr. Lindsay Simon, you're full of crap.” (05:20)

• On the blood evidence:

  “Blood was dried from her nose going horizontally to her ear. Does nobody get why that is wrong?” (12:17) Dr. Kendall Crowns: “...It doesn't fit with how her body was positioned.” (12:49)

• On biomechanics:

  John Lucey: “It clearly shows it was biomechanically impossible for her to inflict a lot of those wounds to her back of the head and neck.” (33:56)

• On administrative pressure:

  Judge Dugan: “What kind of circumstances could happen behind closed doors that a prosecutor needs immunity?... points to some pretty nefarious things.” (21:15)

• On perseverance:

  Judge Dugan: “I really don’t care about the Democrats, the Republicans… I care about the victims and the rule of law… Wherever the evidence leads me is where I will go.” (49:58)

Important Timestamps

• 02:37 – Sam Goldberg’s 911 call (“I just walked in... blood everywhere…”)
• 04:11 – Nancy Grace details the significance of unexplained bruises.
• 05:49 – Bennet Nauer disputes the “teacher bruises” assertion.
• 06:49 – Journalist John Lucey on the Greenbergs’ 14-year fight.
• 09:40 – Judge Dugan promises a full review if elected DA.
• 12:17 – The blood flow discrepancy, Dr. Crowns explains why it defies logic.
• 19:06 – Discussion of inconsistencies in Ellen’s position at the scene.
• 21:15 – Judge Dugan on immunity for the DA’s office rep.
• 25:20 – Dr. Crowns details the fatal, incapacitating nature of the spinal stab wound.
• 33:56 – Journalist John Lucey describes computer simulation disproving suicide.
• 35:19 – Dr. Crowns underscores missing investigative protocols.
• 36:31 – Nauer and Lucey confirm the doorman never accompanied Sam Goldberg.
• 43:24 – Judge Dugan questions why DA file has not been given to Ellen’s parents.
• 47:52 – Political motivations suspected for keeping the ruling as suicide.

Final Points and Calls to Action

• No person of interest or suspect named in Ellen’s death.
• Nancy Grace urges listeners with information to bypass local/state officials and contact the US Attorney for Eastern District of Pennsylvania at 215-861-8200 (50:39).
• Panel consensus: The ruling of suicide is at best unfounded, at worst a cover-up—denying Ellen Greenberg and her parents justice after 14 years.

Tone & Takeaway

The episode maintains Nancy Grace’s signature blend of righteous anger, relentless inquiry, and heartbreak for victims’ families. The panel’s legal, scientific, and journalistic expertise coalesces around the overwhelming improbability that Ellen Greenberg died by suicide—exposing a criminal justice system mired in administrative opacity, possible political self-protection, and systemic indifference.

A searing demand for truth, accountability, and external investigation in the face of institutional failure.