Samantha Woll Updates: Detroit Police Release Suspect Without Charge

Samantha Woll’s final text before stabbing revealed

The slain community leader’s sister Monica Woll Rosen delivered a eulogy at her funeral where she told mourners that Samantha Woll’s final text was a heart emoji sent to a friend.

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Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 22:00

Murder suspect’s ‘ambiguous statement’ to police

A suspect who was arrested and released without charge over Samantha Woll’s murder made an “ambiguous statement” to police, according to the Detroit News.

The unnamed suspect, who reportedly attended Woll’s funeral, was released on Friday after a 72 hour deadline to charge them lapsed.

Citing four sources, the Detroit News reported that police are continuing to probe the suspect’s statements for irregularities.

Police have not commented on the suspect’s released, but Chief James White said earlier this week that the arrest was encouraging but did not bring their investigation to an end.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 21:33

Samantha Woll suspect released without charge, attorney says

The unidentified man, who reportedly attended Woll’s funeral, was arrested on Tuesday before being released on Friday, his attorney Allison Kriger told the Detroit Free Press.

Under Michigan state law, criminal suspects must be charged within 72 hours of their arrest.

Full story below.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 21:11

What was the motive?

A motive in Woll’s murder has yet to be established. The possibility of a home invasion has been ruled out.

Detroit police corporal Dan Donakowski said during an update on Sunday that Woll’s death is being investigated as a homicide but there is no evidence suggesting the murder was a hate crime. He said that investigators had found a large Israeli flag in Woll’s home that was left untouched, according to ClickOnDetroit.

Chief White said on 23 October that his department is seeking a suspect believed to have acted alone, and noted he didn’t think there was a threat to the community at large. He also asked the public to be patient and not jump to conclusions as evidence is reviewed and processed.

“We are not in the position to discuss [details,]” Chief White said. “There are certain factors that are only shared by the suspect and our investigators.”

Authorities have asked anyone with information to reach investigators at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 20:00

What do we know about the stabbing?

Law enforcement said that police received a 911 call reporting a person lying on the ground unresponsive around 6.30am on 21 October.

When officers arrived at the scene, they followed a trail of blood that led them to Woll’s residence.

Woll was stabbed multiple times inside her home, Chief James White said on 23 October. It is believed she then stumbled outside the house and eventually collapsed on the sidewalk.

The chief said there was no evidence of forced entry at Woll’s home and there were no signs that she tried to defend herself.

He added that investigators are trying to establish a timeline of the days and hours leading to Woll’s death.

Woll was last seen attending a wedding on the evening of 20 October, which she left at around 12.30am.

“By all accounts, she was not in any discomfort, she was her normal pleasant self,” Chief White told reporters.

Surveillance footage in the neighbourhood does not point directly at residences, making it difficult for investigators to determine who was in the vicinity of Woll’s home around the time she was killed. However, the video could be used to determine travel routes, Chief White said.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 19:00

Who was Samantha Woll?

Woll has led the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit since 2022.

She has been remembered by loved ones as a leader who worked to unite people through her interfaith work. Dawud Walid, president of the Council on American Islamic Relations’s Michigan chapter, called Woll’s death a “tragic loss” and praised her efforts to unite the Jewish and Muslim communities in Detroit.

“We are troubled by the apparent homicide of Samantha Woll, a beloved leader within her faith community in Metro Detroit,” Mr Walid said in a statement. “We also send our sincere condolences to her family and friends and to the Detroit Jewish community as a whole for the tragic loss.”

According to a 2017 article by The Detroit Jewish News, Woll was “instrumental in the founding of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit,” an alliance that helps build bonds between Jewish and Muslim youth.

“By extending her hand and creating space for connection between Muslims and Jews, she has exemplified the values of healing the world,” the article read.

More than 1,000 people attended Woll’s funeral, the Detroit Free Press reports. Senator Stephanie Chang and AG Nessell were among the attendees who delivered heartfelt eulogies during the service.

“Sam did more for our community, our state, our world, our lives in her short time here on Earth than most will ever accomplish in 1,000 lifetimes,” Ms Nessel said in her eulogy, according to The New York Times.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 18:00

What we know about the suspect

In short, not much.

Authorities announced on Wednesday that they had taken a suspect into custody — but they did not name the person, nor did they release the charges.

On Thursday, ClickOnDetroit reported that the suspect was a man.

Detroit Police Chief James White told the outlet that his team will “go where the evidence takes us.”

“I don’t want to characterize this as a complete investigation,” he said of the arrest. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’re gonna do it.”

Mike Bedigan11 November 2023 17:00

Who killed Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll?

Just a mile from the Michigan synagogue that she had led since last year, Samantha Woll’s lifeless body was found in the early morning hours of 21 October. Outside her home in the Lafayette Park neighbourhood, Detroit police officers followed a trail of blood to the disturbing scene.

Andrea Blanco delves into the case for The Independent.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 16:31

What we know about the killing of Detroit synagogue leader Samatha Woll

Just a mile from the Michigan synagogue that she had led since last year, Samantha Woll’s lifeless body was found in the early morning hours of 21 October. Outside her home in the Lafayette Park neighbourhood, Detroit police officers followed a trail of blood to the disturbing scene.

Two days after the murder, Police Chief James White declared that few details about the investigation would be shared publicly to protect the probe. He said the killing was not believed to be motivated by antisemitism, and that persons of interest were being looked at.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Bevan Hurley11 November 2023 15:30

What was the motive?

A motive in Woll’s murder has yet to be established. The possibility of a home invasion has been ruled out.

Detroit police corporal Dan Donakowski said during an update on Sunday that Woll’s death is being investigated as a homicide but there is no evidence suggesting the murder was a hate crime. He said that investigators had found a large Israeli flag in Woll’s home that was left untouched, according to ClickOnDetroit.

Chief White said on 23 October that his department is seeking a suspect believed to have acted alone, and noted he didn’t think there was a threat to the community at large. He also asked the public to be patient and not jump to conclusions as evidence is reviewed and processed.

“We are not in the position to discuss [details,]” Chief James White said. “There are certain factors that are only shared by the suspect and our investigators.”

Authorities have asked anyone with information to reach investigators at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

Mike Bedigan11 November 2023 15:00