Greenberg death officially ruled a suicide

Last month’s death of 27-year-old Ellen Rae Greenberg has officially been ruled a suicide by Philadelphia Police. 

Homicide Capt. James Clark confirmed Friday that Greenberg’s death at an apartment complex in Manayunk was self-inflicted but declined to give any other information about the case. 

Clark was hesitant to report that conclusion last Friday after Police spokeswoman Jillian Russell reported the case was closed after being ruled a suicide.  

“It’s still somewhat of an active investigation,” Clark said last Friday, since the case was still being looked at by the District Attorney’s office and Medical Examiner’s office.

Greenberg was found with “multiple” stab wounds on Jan. 26 inside her Venice Lofts apartment complex on Flat Road Road, just off of Main Street.

The first-grade teacher worked at Juniata Park Academy on East Hunting Park Avenue and was one of the founding teachers of the school.

After hearing about the likely suicide ruling last Friday, Philadelphia School District Spokesman Fernando Gallard said, “This is still a great loss for us and the district,” adding, “I just don’t know what else I can say.”

Police initially ruled this case a homicide then backed away from those statements, saying they were treating the case as “suspicious.”

Several friends of Greenberg told NewsWorks they had a hard time believing the vibrant young woman they knew, who was so dedicated to her students, would take her own life.  

A spokesman for the medical examiner’s office did not return phone calls. 

NewsWorks will provide more updates as they become available.