Killing of Samantha Woll

Samantha Woll
Samantha Woll in October 2022
Born(1983-06-15)June 15, 1983
Detroit, Michigan
DiedOctober 21, 2023(2023-10-21) (aged 40)
Detroit, Michigan
OccupationPresident of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue

Samantha Woll (June 15, 1983[1] – October 21, 2023) was a Jewish community leader, founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit, the president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit, Michigan. On October 21, 2023, she was found stabbed to death outside her home.[2] Her killing, amid increased tensions during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, drew international attention, but police ruled out antisemitic motivations for her slaying.

Early life

Woll graduated from Hillel Day School (1997), Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School (2001)[3][4] and attended the University of Michigan.[5]

Career

Woll was the founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit. In 2015, in the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks, she helped bring high school students of Muslim and Jewish faith together through an essay and art contest in a public event at Wayne State University organized through Greater Detroit Muslim Jewish Solidarity Council.[6] U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib called Woll a friend and an organizing community member.[2]

From c. 2017, Woll served as Detroit's Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC board of directors member[7][8] and was co-chair of the AJC's ACCESS Detroit Young Leadership Program.

In 2017 she was selected by the Detroit Jewish News as one of their "36 under 36".[9]

From 2019 to 2021, she worked as deputy district director on the political campaign of Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. She also worked on the re-election campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel.[2]

Woll became president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in 2022.[10]

Death

On October 21, 2023, Woll was found stabbed to death outside her home in Detroit's Lafayette Park neighborhood. She was 40.[2] Her killing, during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, drew international attention, but police ruled out anti-Jewish motivations for her slaying.[11][12]

In early November, Detroit Police arrested a suspect, whom The Detroit News reported was an acquaintance of Woll,[13] then released that person without charges.[13][14][15]

On December 10, a different "person of interest" was arrested for Woll's murder.[16][17] The suspect, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 28, of Detroit, was officially charged with murder, home invasion and lying to investigators on December 13. Woll's blood was found on his jacket.[18] He entered a plea of not guilty.[19] Jackson-Bolanos was convicted of lying to police, but was acquitted of first degree murder. The jury was deadlocked on charges of felony murder and home invasion.[20] These deadlocked charges were later dismissed, but he was sentenced to 18 months to 15 years on the charge of lying to police.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Obituary for SAMANTHA WOLL". Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Ikonomova, Violet (October 21, 2023). "Detroit synagogue president Samantha Woll found dead outside her home". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  3. ^ Hitsky, Alan (May 11, 2001). "Cap & Gown". The Detroit Jewish News. pp. 3, 75–91. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  4. ^ "Mazel tov class of 2001 / Hillel Day School class of 1997". The Detroit Jewish News. May 11, 2001. p. 74. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Edmonds, Colbi (October 21, 2023). "Synagogue Leader Is Killed in Detroit, but Motive Is Not Known, Authorities Say". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "Muslim and Jewish Communities Come Together: 'We Refuse to be Enemies'". wdet.org. November 19, 2015. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  7. ^ "JCRC/AJC Election". The Detroit Jewish News. June 8, 2017. p. 22. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  8. ^ "2023-2024 Board". JCRC/AJC. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. ^ Allweiss Ingber, Esther (January 12, 2017). "Thirty-six under 36". The Detroit Jewish News. p. 30. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  10. ^ Sabur, Rozina (October 21, 2023). "Prominent Jewish leader found stabbed to death in Detroit". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "Detroit police confident synagogue president's slaying 'not motivated by antisemitism'". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  12. ^ "'Persons of Interest' Identified in Killing of Detroit Synagogue Leader, Police Say". The New York Times. October 23, 2023. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Hunter, George; Snell, Robert (November 11, 2023). "Police release suspect in Samantha Woll homicide as investigation continues". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  14. ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (November 11, 2023). "Suspect in killing of Samantha Woll released from custody without charges". The Guardian. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "Who Killed Samantha Woll? For 2nd Time, Police Announce Person of Interest Taken into Custody". People.
  16. ^ Moshtaghian, Artemis (December 10, 2023). "'Person of interest' taken into custody amid investigation into Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll's killing, police say". CNN.
  17. ^ Hutchinson, Derick (December 14, 2023). "Samantha Woll case: Everything we know about the murder, new charges. 28-year-old man facing murder charge". Click on Detroit. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  18. ^ Sahouri, Andrea May (December 14, 2023). "Samantha Woll's blood was found on suspect's jacket – but he claims innocence". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  19. ^ "Man charged with murder of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll". The Guardian. Associated Press. December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  20. ^ Baldas, Tresa; Kaufman, Gina; Prestininzi, Jenna. "Jury reaches not guilty verdict on first-degree murder charge in Samantha Woll case". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Brasch, Ben (August 10, 2024). "Judge dismisses murder charge in Detroit synagogue leader's killing". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2024.