Teacher's Death from 20 Stab Wounds Was Ruled a Suicide. Nancy Grace Says She Knew 'Something Was Very Wrong' (Exclusive)

In January 2011, Ellen Greenberg was busy planning her wedding to her fiancé, Sam Goldberg.

After careful consideration, the Philadelphia-based couple compiled their guest list and sent out save-the-date announcements.

On the morning of Jan. 26, 2011, Ellen spoke to her mother, Sandee Goldberg, before heading to her job as a first-grade teacher. That night, Sam returned home to the couple’s luxury apartment and found Ellen dead on the kitchen floor, suffering from 20 stab wounds and bruises all over her body.

On January 27, 2011, the day after Ellen died, medical examiner Dr. Marlon Osbourne performed an autopsy and ruled her death a homicide.

The autopsy showed that 10 of the 20 stab wounds she suffered were to the back of her neck. Osbourne noted that the bruises found all over the body were “in various stages of resolution,” CNN reported. Osbourne concluded that she was “stabbed by another person.”

Still reeling from their daughter’s untimely death at age 27, Sandee and her husband, Ellen’s father Josh Greenberg, were floored when police said that Ellen had, in fact, died by suicide. They were even more shocked when, after meeting with law enforcement officials, Osbourne changed Ellen’s manner of death from suicide to homicide.

The Greenbergs didn’t believe that — and neither does longtime TV and podcast host Nancy Grace, who spent many hours with the couple ahead of her new book, What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice.

Debuting on Tuesday, April 22 and written with Benée Knauer, the book goes in-depth into the many twists and turns of the labyrinthine mystery surrounding the vivacious young teacher’s death.

The former prosecutor and legal commentator tells PEOPLE she immediately questioned Ellen’s death as soon as she learned about the tragic case.

“I saw that this beautiful first-grade teacher had ‘committed suicide’ with 20 stab wounds and I knew immediately, ‘Something is very wrong,’” Grace says.

Wanting to explore the matter further, she met with the Greenbergs, who have fought for years to have their daughter’s death ruled a homicide. “I’ve been with them ever since,” she says.

The couple filed lawsuits against the city of Philadelphia and city officials alleging that Ellen’s death had incorrectly been ruled a suicide. In addition, more than 167,000 people signed an online petition asking for the medical examiner to reopen Ellen’s case. 

They won a victory in February, when Dr. Osbourne said in a sworn statement that after reviewing new information, he no longer believes Ellen killed herself and that the ruling “should be designated as something other than suicide,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Grace has spent a lot of time with the couple over the past three years.

“I traveled to meet them in Pennsylvania,” she says. “I went to Ellen’s grave. I’ve gone to her synagogue and sat in the seat where her parents sat during the service.” 

In reporting out the book, Grace says, “We left no stone uncovered. We spoke to every person that would speak to us. Ellen Greenberg did not commit suicide. Ellen Greenberg was murdered.”

Grace questions how Ellen could “forcibly” kill herself, “stabbing parts of her body no one could reach?”

“She has stab wounds to her that were committed post-mortem after death,” Grace says.

She also believes Ellen’s body, which was found propped up against the cabinets, with blood running “the wrong way,” was staged.

No one has ever been charged in her death and the Greenbergs hope authorities will launch a criminal investigation into the case.

“Now, I cannot speculate who killed her,” says Grace. “Incorrect speculation could actually hinder a future prosecution. 

“But I do know this: She did not kill herself. And her parents have spent their life savings trying to clear Ellen’s name.”

Grace’s portion of proceeds from the book will go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC.)

“Ellen loved her first graders,” says Grace. “The way I thought I could really honor Ellen is to give us money to help children.”

What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice, by Nancy Grace, comes out April 22 and is available for preorder now.