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Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg? Ep 1 (from the Patreon feed)

February 22, 2026·54 min·5 clips

The medical examiner ruled Ellen's death a homicide, but authorities changed it to suicide.

This episode covers the Hulu documentary series "Death in Apartment 603," investigating the 2011 death of 27-year-old Ellen Greenberg in Philadelphia. Hosts Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle, known for their comedic and passionate true crime commentary, react to the first episode, titled "Homicide or Suicide." They express immediate skepticism about the official ruling of suicide. The episode details how Greenberg was found by her fiancé, Sam, with over 20 stab wounds after a Nor'easter snowstorm. The Philadelphia medical examiner initially ruled the death a homicide before changing it to suicide. The hosts describe Greenberg through her friends and family as a beloved, bubbly person who was excited to marry Sam after a whirlwind romance. Text messages shown early in their relationship depict them as deeply in love. A shift in Greenberg's demeanor is noted months before her death; her cousin says she "wasn't herself" and wanted to quit her stressful teaching job, which had up to 40 first-graders per classroom. The timeline focuses on January 26, 2011: Sam told the building concierge, Phil, he was locked out of their apartment after returning from the gym. Neighbor Mark reported hearing Sam angrily pounding on the door and "trying to coax her." Text messages from Sam to Ellen during this time show aggressive, all-caps demands like "OPEN THE DOOR." Sam eventually broke the door down and called 911. On the 911 call, Sam first described his gym timeline before stating, "She stabbed herself" and "There's a knife sticking out of her heart." First responders reportedly told the concierge, "You need a homicide detective." A key insight is the hosts' disbelief that anyone finding a stabbed person would immediately conclude "she stabbed herself." They question why Sam didn't simply call for help if he suspected an emergency instead of breaking the door down. Former assistant district attorney Guy D'Andrea emphasizes the critical importance of timelines, noting the gym visit lasted about 38 to 40 minutes. The hosts speculate Ellen was already dead before Sam went to the gym, suggesting his actions were an attempt to establish an alibi. They find it suspicious that, according to the neighbor, Sam immediately told police about Ellen's medication and mental health issues. The hosts are critical of the police investigation, noting detectives called it a suicide while still at the scene and the crime scene was not properly preserved. The tone is conversational, energetic, and deeply engaged, blending factual summary with the hosts' incredulous reactions and personal anecdotes. Listeners who enjoy deep dives into controversial cases with passionate, opinionated commentary will love this episode. Those who prefer strictly factual, detached reporting or are sensitive to graphic descriptions of violence might skip it.

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