DETROIT – As Detroit police investigate the killing of a well-known leader in the local Jewish community, authorities have repeatedly said they do not believe the woman’s death was an act of antisemitism based on the information they have.
During a news conference on Oct. 23, Detroit police shared a few new details related to their investigation into the fatal stabbing of Samantha Woll that occurred over the weekend. Officers were called to the 40-year-old woman’s home the morning of Saturday, Oct. 21 after witnesses found the woman lying outside, unresponsive.
Police believe Woll was stabbed to death inside her home in Lafayette Park sometime after 12:30 a.m., when she returned home from a wedding. It’s believed she stumbled outside, where she was found hours later. She was declared dead at the scene.
Local police say they are working with the FBI and Michigan State Police to examine evidence and to establish a timeline leading up to Woll’s killing. Detroit police Chief James White said Monday that they have identified several persons of interest, but had not yet narrowed it down to one subject, and that no one was in custody at that time.
Chief White again urged the public on Monday to remain patient amid the investigation, saying they can’t share much information in this early phase of the investigation.
Woll was known for her role as board president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, as well as her position as a campaign staffer for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, and former aide for Rep. Elissa Slotkin. Her killing sent the community reeling in search of answers, especially since it occurred at a time when tensions are high due to the Israel-Gaza war.
Some have been concerned that Woll’s killing may have been a hate crime, and that the community should be concerned, since no one was in custody for it yet. But Chief White reiterated Monday what he had announced the day before: Police don’t have any evidence to indicate Woll’s death was an act of antisemitism.
Because authorities are keeping a lot of details close to the chest, White could not share exactly what evidence they do have to indicate her death wasn’t a hate crime. Chief White did say that they have a different working theory, but that they are not ruling anything out, and will exhaust each theory in their ongoing investigation.
“We aren’t ruling out anything,” White said. “We’re going where the information and evidence takes us, and right now, the information doesn’t take us there.”
Chief White White also said that police do not believe any groups or people are at risk following the fatal stabbing. He asked the community not to draw any quick conclusions while the investigation is underway.
“Everything possible is being done to bring this case to a close,” White said.
Law enforcement confirmed Monday that Woll was found by a witness around 6:30 a.m. lying unresponsive outside her home in Lafayette Park, which is east of Downtown Detroit. Woll had her wallet and her phone on her, and there were no signs of forced entry at her home, police said.
The woman was said to be stabbed several times, though White would not say exactly how many times. Sources have also said Woll did not have any defensive wounds, though White did not confirm that on Monday.
The police chief added Monday that there are details only known to law enforcement, and they need to be “very very careful” with what they reveal to the public.
The Detroit Police Department was working to get search warrants for residential surveillance cameras in the neighborhood to aid in the investigation. Chief White would not confirm whether Woll left the wedding alone early Saturday morning, but did say she was not acting out of character at the time.
He added that investigators are checking cameras along the route she drove to see if she was followed. Residents of Lafayette Park were urged to check their cameras for anything that could be connected to the case, and to share that with authorities.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit police at 313-596-2260.
Watch Detroit police news briefing
You can watch Chief White’s entire Oct. 23 news briefing in the video below.