Samantha Woll murder update: Detroit police offer $15k reward for info

A suspect arrested over the killing of Samantha Woll has been released by police in Detroit without charge, his attorney says.

Detroit police announced the suspect’s arrest last week, the first major development in the investigation since Woll was found brutally murdered at her home in Detroit’s Lafayette Park neighbourhood on 21 October.

The unnamed man, who reportedly knew Woll, was released on 10 November, his attorney Allison Kriger told the Detroit Free Press.

An “ambiguous statement” the suspect made to police is being probed by investigators, according to the Detroit News.

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

Now, Detroit police are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Authorities believe Woll was attacked inside her home and then stumbled out before collapsing on the sidewalk.

Police have said they have not found any evidence linking the shocking killing to antisemitism.

Detroit Police Chief James White stressed earlier this week that the arrest did not “represent the conclusion of our work in this case”.

Key points

• Detroit police offer $15k reward for info leading to arrest of killer

• Suspect released by Detroit police without charge

• A Detroit synagogue president was found stabbed to death at her home. Police don’t have a motive

• Funeral held for synagogue leader found stabbed to death outside her home

• Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll’s murder not motivated by antisemitism

BREAKING: Person of interest taken into custody in Detroit murder of Samantha Woll

09:29 , Rachel Sharp

A new person of interest has been taken into custody in connection to the murder of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll.

Detroit Police Department confirmed in a statement on Sunday that “a person of interest has been taken into custody in furtherance of the investigation into the murder of Samantha Woll”.

“In an effort to ensure the integrity of this ongoing investigation, no further details will be released at this time. Additional information will be released in the near future,” the statement read.

This marks the second person of interest in the case which has gone unsolved for almost two months, since the synagogue leader was brutally stabbed to death at her home in Detroit.

Read the full story:

Person of interest taken into custody in Detroit murder of Samantha Woll

Detroit police offer $15k reward for info leading to arrest of killer

Friday 17 November 2023 11:53 , Rachel Sharp

Detroit police are now offering a $15,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of Samantha Woll’s killer.

Crime Stoppers of Michigan announced the cash reward on Tuesday – as more than a month has now passed since the synagogue leader was brutally murdered at her home.

“This crime reflects a common challenge in our line of work, when an arrest is made as the investigation unfolds,” the Detroit Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We appeal to the community for any information and appreciate your patience as investigators thoroughly examine every aspect of this case. Our heartfelt thoughts remain with Ms Woll’s loved ones.”

Wednesday 15 November 2023 17:42 , Kelly Rissman

More details about the previously detained suspect, revealed

On 8 November, police announced that they had taken a suspect into custody — however, authorities withheld his name and any charges against him. Although police did not identify the suspect’s gender, sources told ClickonDetroit that a man had been arrested.

That person was then set free on 10 November without charge, police confirmed today.

According to reporting by the outlet, the suspect was taken into custody based on the statements he gave to investigators. However, the suspect was subsequently released because those statements were too ambiguous to press murder charges.

Under Michigan law, suspects can only be detained without charges for 72 hours.

Wednesday 15 November 2023 14:26 , Kelly Rissman

Police confirm the suspect who had been held in custody was released

Tuesday 14 November 2023 14:00 , Kelly Rissman

The lastest update in a slow rolling case

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.

Woll, 40, was found stabbed to death in her home in Detroit’s Lafayette Park neighbourhood on 21 October.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 12:00 , Kelly Rissman

Why did it take weeks to announce a suspect?

Investigators announced the arrest of a suspect “for the murder of Samantha Woll” on 8 November - nearly two and a half weeks after her stabbing.

Police Chief White called the arrest “an encouraging development” but warned that “it does not represent the conclusion of our work in this case.”

Police did not reveal the suspect’s name or release the intended charges. However, local outlets reported that the suspect was a man.

A day after announcing the arrest, police wrote that they had hit a “critical juncture,” perhaps hinting that they were going to have to release the suspect in custody.

Read the full story...

Why was the Samantha Woll murder suspect released without charge?

Tuesday 14 November 2023 10:00 , Kelly Rissman

Not a hate crime, police say

Chief White said he is confident the crime was not motivated by antisemitism.

Investigators pointed to a large Israeli flag hanging in Woll’s home to support this claim.

On top of Woll’s role as a synagogue leader, speculation grew that her death could be a hate crime due to the rise in antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas war’s outbreak.

The Anti-Defamation League recorded a total of 312 antisemitic incidents between 7 October and 23 October this year; by contrast, last year in the same time period, ADL recorded 64 incidents, including four that were Israel-related.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 08:00 , Kelly Rissman

The timeline

20 October:

• Sam Woll attends a wedding.

21 October:

• Woll returns home at 12.30am from the wedding. It’s unclear whether she came back from the wedding alone or with someone.

• At 6.30 am, police discover Woll’s body. It appears that she was stabbed inside of her home and collapsed later onto her yard.

The initial investigation:

• Detroit Police Chief James White said he believed the suspect acted alone, and noted he didn’t think there was a threat to the community at large.

• Police said there was no sign of forced entry at Woll’s home or any sign that she tried to defend herself.

• Authorities also ruled out that her death was a hate crime, citing the untouched Israeli flag still hanging in Woll’s home.

• A law enforcement source told CNN that the police were treating Woll’s death as arising from a domestic dispute.

8 November:

• Police announced that they had a suspect in custody for “the murder of Samantha Woll.” No details about the suspect, nor any charges were released.

• Under Michigan law, suspects can only be held in custody without charges for 72 hours.

9 November:

• Investigators wrote in a statement that they had hit a “critical juncture” in the case.

11 November:

• The suspect was released from custody without explanation from authorities.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 06:00 , Kelly Rissman

Social media users are offering condolences on Woll’s last Facebook post

In the comments section of Sam Woll’s last Facebook post, users are expressing their condolences for her family and their love of the late synagogue leader.

“I met Sam at Michigan. She is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever known,” one user wrote.

Another commented, “You’ve been on my heart and I cant process everything thats happening. My heart hurts and I continued to stay in prayer for your family.”

Yet another remarked, “Your radiating energy was immediately obvious to everyone around you.”

Tuesday 14 November 2023 04:00 , Kelly Rissman

Director of Detroit’s American Jewish Committee Asher Lopatin mourns Woll’s death

We are absolutely heartbroken over the murder of Sam Woll, a thoughtful and beloved leader, neighbor, and member of the JCRC/AJC family. We are grieving for her family and with our community.

She will forever be remembered as a ray of sunlight to all who knew her. She was a longtime leader in AJC’s Global ACCESS and ACCESS Detroit Young Leadership Programs and a passionate Muslim-Jewish bridge builder.

We will cherish her memory. May it forever be a blessing.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 02:00 , Kelly Rissman

Why wasn’t the suspect charged?

Under Michigan state law, a suspect can only be held without charges for 72 hours. That charging window appeared to close, as police released the suspect on 11 November. It’s unclear what drove the authorities to arrest the person and it’s also unclear what drove them to release him.

A criminal attorney not linked to the case told the Detroit Free Press that the suspect’s release likely indicates a lack of evidence to support the charges against him. “In a high profile case, they would want to err on the side of caution, move slowly, move methodically, to make sure the decision they make is actually supported by the evidence, especially in a case where the charge is going to be scrutinized,” the attorney, Adam Clements, told the outlet.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 00:00 , Kelly Rissman

What happens next?

At present, it is unclear whether the person arrested last week is still considered a suspect after his release.

If he is, it is likely that police will continue working to collect evidence before a second potential arrest and filing of charges.

If he is not, police will be going back to the drawing board to find a new suspect.

Authorities have remained extremely tight-lipped on the subject, refusing repeated requests for comment from The Independent.

Monday 13 November 2023 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

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.

Monday 13 November 2023 22:00 , Kelly Rissman

In photos: scenes of the crime

Monday 13 November 2023 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

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 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.

The chief said that his agency is working in partnership with the FBI and Michigan State Police and has already identified persons of interest.

“We are working through what we have identified as some persons of interest ... but we are very early in the investigation,” he said, adding that Woll might or might have not known her killer. “We have a number of people who give us interest, we are just short of calling one of the people a suspect.”

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.

Finally, on 8 November, more than two weeks after Woll’s stabbing, Chief White announced in a statement that a suspect had been taken into custody “for the murder of Samantha Woll.”

“The details of the investigation will remain confidential at this time to ensure the integrity of the important steps that remain,” he wrote.

Monday 13 November 2023 20:02 , Kelly Rissman

Disturbing neighbourhood incident that happened before Woll’s murder, revealed

Neighbours of Woll have since come forward with reports that the two driver-side tires on their white Mercedes were slashed when they returned home on Sunday after leaving town for the weekend.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told Fox News that her car was parked just 200 feet away from Woll’s home — and she and her husband have since notified law enforcement. When asked about the incident as he delivered updates on Monday, Chief White said that his office would be investigating the reports and whether it is connected to Woll’s murder.

A spokesperson for the Detroit Police Department told The Independent on Tuesday that there are no updates in that regard.

Read the full story...

Samantha Woll’s neighbour reveal disturbing incident around time of murder

Monday 13 November 2023 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

Questions linger: Why was the Samantha Woll murder suspect released without charge?

A suspect was taken into custody related to Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll’s stabbing — but was released days later, tacking on further questions to a case that is drenched in them.

Woll, the beloved 40-year-old president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was killed on 21 October.

Weeks later, there appeared to be a breakthrough in the case when Detroit Police Chief James White announced on 8 November that a suspect had been arrested “for the murder of Samantha Woll.” Three days later, the suspect was released without charge.

It marked the latest troubling turn in a case with many more questions than answers more than three weeks on from the killing. The Independent investigates the unresolved questions in the Woll case: the motive, the delay of the arrest, the release of the suspect, and what happens next.

Read the full story...

Why was the Samantha Woll murder suspect released without charge?

Monday 13 November 2023 19:02 , Kelly Rissman

Not a hate crime, police say

Chief White said he is confident the crime was not motivated by antisemitism.

Investigators pointed to a large Israeli flag hanging in Woll’s home to support this claim.

On top of Woll’s role as a synagogue leader, speculation grew that her death could be a hate crime due to the rise in antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas war’s outbreak.

The Anti-Defamation League recorded a total of 312 antisemitic incidents between 7 October and 23 October this year; by contrast, last year in the same time period, ADL recorded 64 incidents, including four that were Israel-related.

Monday 13 November 2023 18:02 , Kelly Rissman

WATCH: Rep Elissa Slotkin, Woll’s former boss, asks for moment of silence in her honour

Monday 13 November 2023 17:23 , Kelly Rissman

The latest on Samantha Woll

On Saturday, a suspect who had been held in custody in connection to the fatal stabbing of a Detroit synagogue leader has been released.

Allison Kriger declined to comment further to The Associated Press beyond saying the suspect was free. Local outlets reported the suspect was a man.

No charges have been filed in the case.