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More than a decade after Ellen Greenberg’s mysterious death, the Hulu docuseries Death in Apartment 603 ignites a wave of public interest—and outrage—once again. A new official report reaffirming her death as a suicide clashes with what many, including the victim’s family and director Nancy Schwartzman, firmly believe: that Ellen was murdered.
A Story That Refuses to Stay Buried
Ellen Greenberg was just 27 years old. A first-grade teacher, engaged, seemingly building a life that ended violently and inexplicably on a snow day in January 2011. She was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment with 20 stab wounds—ten of which were in her back and neck—and a knife still embedded in her chest. Bruises marked her body, but no one else’s DNA was found on the weapon. Her fiancé Sam Goldberg claimed to have found her after forcing open their locked-from-the-inside front door.
That alone should make you pause. A latch-locked door, no signs of forced entry, and only Ellen’s DNA. At first glance, the details paint a confusing and tragic picture. But the more you look, the more questions pile up.
Initially ruled a suicide, then later classified as a homicide, her case has bounced back and forth over the years. That’s rare. Even rarer is what just happened: a decade later, Philadelphia’s current chief medical examiner, Dr. Lindsay Simon, issued a final report in October 2025, once again calling Ellen’s death a suicide. To read Pluribus finale shocks fans as season 2 faces long wait
Families Don’t Forget, and Neither Do Filmmakers
Ellen’s parents never accepted the suicide theory. Neither has Nancy Schwartzman, who spent years digging into this story and eventually turned it into the documentary series Death in Apartment 603. The title alone sounds like a crime thriller, but what hits hardest is knowing it’s real. That door really was locked. Those wounds were real. The confusion, the silence, the uncomfortable possibility that murder was overlooked, are all painfully real for anyone who’s followed the case.
Attorney William Trask, who represents the Greenberg family, doesn’t mince words. He called the latest report “deeply flawed,” and accused Dr. Simon of ignoring key forensic evidence and pushing false narratives. From what’s been shared, the criticism is partly based on glaring omissions—and possibly a surprising list of sources.
One of those sources? According to Schwartzman, Simon’s report cited Death in Apartment 603 itself. Understandably appalled, Schwartzman responded in a tone most people could relate to: “They should use their microscopes instead of watching TV.”
What We Still Don’t Understand
If there’s something that’s lingered with me while watching this case unfold, it’s the violence of it. Twenty stab wounds. Many in her back. How can that be consistent with suicide? It’s not being sensationalist to ask that question. It’s being human. And across social media, millions of viewers are asking similar ones.
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- The wounds: multiple deep stabs, including in the back of the neck.
- A locked front door, with no sign of forced entry.
- Bruises on Ellen’s body, suggesting a possible altercation.
- Her mental health history being cited as a possible reason—yet not satisfactorily connected to the method of her death.
Like many viewers, I couldn’t shake the 9-1-1 call featured in the trailer. It’s short, but haunting. It leaves you with a feeling that something about this case isn’t right. That’s what the filmmakers are counting on—not drama for its own sake, but a groundswell of attention that might push open a case that feels unresolved.
A Case That Lingers, and a Series That Might Continue
So far, the series has sparked conversation well beyond typical true crime circles. Its trailer alone racked up 38 million views. Whether it was out of outrage, curiosity, or shared grief, viewers connected with Ellen’s story.
Schwartzman hinted that if enough people keep asking questions—or better, if new evidence comes to light—Hulu might continue the investigation through future episodes. For now, there’s no official continuation planned. But the buzz suggests something is building.
I don’t usually put my hopes in true crime documentaries changing the course of justice—but once in a while, one stirs something that can’t be ignored. This one did. For Ellen Greenberg, people aren’t just watching. They’re still waiting for answers.
