DETROIT – A man who was being held in custody in connection with the murder of a well-known Detroit synagogue president has been released without facing official charges.
The attorney for the man confirmed to Local 4 news that he had been released from custody.
Samantha Woll is believed to have been killed at her Detroit home on Oct. 21. Witnesses found her lying on the ground outside of her Lafayette Park home about six hours after Woll returned home from a wedding.
First responders declared Woll dead at the scene. In the weeks that have followed, police have offered few details about the case, saying it was important to keep their information close to the chest amid this investigation.
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Detroit police confirmed that a person had been taken into custody in connection with Woll’s murder. According to Kalamazoo police, the suspect was arrested in Kalamazoo in an area on the west side of the state, and their arrest did not mark the end of the investigation. The identity of the person in custody had not yet been revealed.
On Thursday afternoon, a source told Local 4 that the person arrested was a male, though their exact identity was still not shared. The source also said the person had been moved from the Kalamazoo area to Wayne County.
Detroit police did not say whether they believe the person arrested is responsible for killing Woll.
Detroit police Chief James White said Wednesday that the investigation is still open, and that investigators are going to “go where the evidence takes us.”
“I don’t want to characterize this as a complete investigation,” White said of the arrest made. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’re gonna do it.”
White did not clarify what work remained for investigators. Officials said more information would be released at the appropriate time.
What happened
Samantha Woll, who also went by Sam, was found stabbed to death the morning of Saturday, Oct. 21 outside her Lafayette Park home, which is just east of Downtown Detroit. A witness found Woll lying on the ground unresponsive at about 6:30 a.m. that day.
First responders arrived at the scene and saw Woll had been stabbed several times. She was declared dead at the scene.
Police said a “trail of blood” led from where Woll’s body was found back to her home. Police believe the woman was attacked in her home sometime after 12:30 a.m., when she arrived home from a wedding, and that she stumbled outside after the attack.
Investigators confirmed that there were no signs of forced entry at Woll’s home. She was found with her wallet and phone on her. Sources have said there were no defensive wounds on Woll, but police would not confirm that detail.
Officials said Woll was not acting out of character when she left the wedding.
Police Chief White says law enforcement are being “very, very careful” about what information they share with the public amid the investigation. Officials previously said that some details were only known to police and to the suspect, and that they needed it to stay that way.
So far, we know that police have been conducting many interviews, and that there were several people they were interested in, but no one suspect had been identified prior to the arrest.
There are still many details that are unknown to the public, including to us journalists, such as:
- The identities of the person arrested and any remaining persons of interest are unknown to the public. It is unknown if police are still looking to arrest anyone else.
- Police would not confirm whether Woll left the wedding alone or with anyone. Chief White said investigators were checking cameras along the route Woll drove to see if she was followed, which could indicate that she was alone, but that has not been confirmed.
- It wasn’t exactly clear how Woll was transported home from the wedding, or where the wedding was held. Police did not want to publicly share any details about the wedding.
- Police said Woll was stabbed multiple times, but would not clarify the exact number of times.
- A motive for the fatal stabbing was either unknown or not released to the public.
Investigation details
Prior to the recent arrest, Chief White previously said no suspect had been identified, but that several persons of interest had been identified. He clarified that classification during a public police commissioners meeting.
On Nov. 2, White said investigators were in the process of interviewing “a lot of people” in order to disqualify them as suspects in Woll’s killing. Because the woman was killed just after a wedding, it’s believed police have a significant number of people to speak with and rule out during their investigation.
White said that the many people being interviewed by police are not necessarily considered “persons of interest” by police definition, but rather that they are people who “give us interest until they are disqualified.”
“You kind of have to picture a spider web where one circumstance and subject takes you to another subject. And you have to disqualify all of them as suspects before you can declare they’re not suspects,” White said, in part. " ... A person of interest, by declaration, would mean that there are facts, evidence and circumstances that lead us to believe they have more to bring.”
White said police are confident in the direction their investigation is heading, and believe it will lead them to a conclusion.
“But it’s gonna take some time. This is not gonna be one that we’re reporting on in the next couple days. We have a lot of work to do,” the chief said on Nov. 2.
Despite Woll’s locally-known presence in the Jewish community, police continue to reiterate that they are confident her death was not a hate crime. This declaration was made shortly after Woll was killed, and is something Chief White has repeated in the weeks that have followed.
Woll in the community
Woll served as president of the board of directors for Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue near Capitol Park, and was well known in the Detroit community. She was also a campaign staffer for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, and a former aide to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
Woll was remembered as someone who supported people and people-centered movements, and was credited for her interfaith work, including by Muslim advocacy groups. The community gathered in mourning on Oct. 22, with loved ones describing Woll as a bright light and leader for her family, the Detroit community, and beyond.