The cold case murder of Elizabeth Greenberg - Chesapeake Bay, Maryland - July 5, 1988
On July 5, 1988, an Annapolis Sailing School mechanic made a shocking discovery around 10:20 a.m. when he saw the body of a woman floating face down off Bembe Beach in the Chesapeake Bay. The police were alerted and the body was removed from the water. The body was half-dressed, and appeared to be the victim of a crime. When blood was also found on the jetty on Bay Front Drive, the police knew for sure.
The dead woman turned out to be 34-year-old Elizabeth Greenberg of Annapolis, a cook for the merchant navy. Examination on the body showed she had died from drowning and multiple blows to the head. The autopsy also showed that the perpetrator had raped her.
Police Investigation
The police investigating the murder had conversations with many of her friends, family and roommate. It turned out that Elizabeth had been out with some friends the night before the day she was found. The evening started at The Rocks bar, which later became The Rockfish bar, at 400 Sixth St. There she surprised her friends by suddenly leaving after being startled by a man at the bar. She had even left her full glass of drink behind.
She was then seen by several witnesses at Mums Grill in Annapolis City Dock. Two of her friends told the police that she left this place around midnight, saying to them, "There's no one I want to see anyway."
Second murder
While the police did not get any further into the case, another woman was found dead less than half a mile away six months later. Her name was c, and she too was raped and murdered. The detectives wondered if there was a link between the two crimes.
The police questioned numerous people, but were unable to solve either case. Years passed until, in May 1993, an anonymous handwritten letter reached chief investigator David Cordle. The letter pointed to a dishwasher who had worked in the bar where Elizabeth happened to be last seen. The 34-year-old man, whose name has not been released, also worked as a mechanic near Garnet Griffith's home in Eastport's Wilshire community. According to the letter writer, the man had previously been shot in the groin when he broke into an Eastport home in search of his estranged wife.
Although the detectives read the letter with great interest, the information contained in the letter was not enough to solve a case. The police asked the anonymous tipper to contact them again and provide more details. However, that did not happen.
Another murder in the bay
When another murdered woman, Nancy Manni, was discovered dead in the Chesapeake Bay in August 1993, police automatically thought of the murder of Elizabeth Greenberg. They noticed that there were many similarities between the two cases. Both women had the same hair color, eye color, height and weight. Elizabeth and Nancy had both attended the same school, and were both ship stewards and members of the Seafairere's Union. The similarities could hardly be a coincidence, but the police could not find any link between the two cases after much investigation. Later, John David O'Meara admitted to killing Nancy, and that case was solved.
Information and tips
However, the murder of Elizabeth, and incidentally that of Garnet Griffith, were never solved. But never say never. There must be people who know more about the cases. Is that you? If you know more, please let us know now. It's time for the solution. Don't hesitate and get in touch now (anonymously) using the form below.
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