In a shocking turn of events, an appellate court panel has upheld the controversial ruling that Philadelphia teacher Ellen Greenberg, who was found dead in 2011 with 20 stab wounds, had actually taken her own life. However, the court has heavily criticized the investigation conducted by city police, prosecutors, and the medical examiner's office, calling it "deeply flawed" and raising serious questions about the handling of the case.

Ellen Greenberg, 27, was discovered in her apartment during a January blizzard, covered in stab wounds and bruises. The autopsy report revealed that she had suffered 20 stab wounds, including 10 to the back of her head and neck. The initial ruling by the Philadelphia pathologist, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, was that the death was a homicide. However, this determination came after the crime scene had been cleaned up and before the police arrived with a search warrant, raising suspicions about the integrity of the investigation.

Her parents, Joshua and Sandra Greenberg, have been fighting for justice for their daughter for over a decade. They filed a civil lawsuit against the city, its medical examiner's office, and Dr. Osbourne, hoping to compel them to change the ruling to “homicide” or "undetermined." The recent appellate court ruling stated that the parents lacked standing for the civil suit but acknowledged the "tireless efforts" they had made to uncover the truth.

The court's decision also highlighted numerous flaws in the investigation. It was revealed that the crime scene had been cleaned up before the police arrived, allegedly on the advice of an unnamed Philadelphia Police Department representative. However, no interviews were conducted with the building manager, Melissa Ware, the cleaning service, or the PPD representative. Additionally, items were removed from the apartment by Greenberg's fiance's uncle, including her purse, three laptops, and two cellphones.

Joe Podraza, the attorney representing the Greenberg family, has raised further concerns about the missing video footage of the crime scene, taken by the building manager before the clean-up crew arrived. The video, which could potentially hold crucial evidence, has yet to be accounted for. Podraza has also argued that the evidence suggests that at least two of the stab wounds were inflicted after Greenberg's heart had stopped beating, casting doubt on the suicide ruling.

The dissenting judge on the panel, Patricia McCullough, stated that Greenberg had been deprived of her status as a murder victim due to the erroneous suicide determination on her death certificate. McCullough argued that the majority opinion essentially allows murderers to escape accountability.

Meanwhile, the Chester County District Attorney's Office has launched an outside review of Greenberg's death, and her family is pursuing a separate civil lawsuit alleging a cover-up of evidence. The Greenbergs plan to appeal the recent court ruling to the state's Supreme Court. However, the city of Philadelphia has expressed satisfaction with the decision and encourages the family to present any new evidence to the investigators in Chester County.

Dr. Osbourne, who initially ruled Greenberg's death as a suicide, has not responded to requests for comment. He currently works in Florida, leaving many unanswered questions regarding his role in the flawed investigation. The case has raised public outcry over the handling of the investigation and the search for justice for Ellen Greenberg, whose death continues to be shrouded in controversy and unresolved mysteries.