DETROIT – Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the man accused of killing Samantha Woll, had his murder and home invasion charges dismissed.
Woll was stabbed to death in her Detroit home on Oct. 21, 2023. Jackson-Bolanos faced four charges in Woll’s death: first-degree felony murder, first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree home invasion, and concealing facts or misleading police.
In July, a jury found Jackson-Bolanos not guilty of first-degree premeditated murder but found him guilty of concealing facts or misleading police.
The jury remained deadlocked on the felony murder and the home invasion charges. During Jackson-Bolanos’ retrial/sentencing hearing on Friday, Aug. 9, the judge ruled he will not be retried on those charges.
The prosecution said they will appeal that decision.
For the concealing facts or misleading police conviction, Jackson-Bolanos was sentenced to 18 months to 15 years, with 240 days credit for time served. The defense said they also planned to appeal.
You can watch the full retrial/sentencing hearing below.
What we know about the case
Woll was stabbed to death at her home in Lafayette Park, a neighborhood just east of Downtown Detroit, on Oct. 21, 2023. A neighbor found her body on the ground outside her home hours after she was killed.
Police said there was a “trail of blood” that led from where Woll’s body was found to back to her home. Police believe she was attacked in her home sometime after 12:30 a.m., when she arrived home from a wedding, and that she stumbled out after the attack.
Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry at her home. She was found with her wallet and phone on her.
---> Samantha Woll’s alleged killer on trial: Watch all witness testimony here
The prosecution argued that Jackson-Bolanos was known to lie and that he was the only person they knew was at the scene of the crime the morning Woll was murdered.
Jackson-Bolanos admitted that he was in the parking lot of Woll’s townhome -- security video and cellphone data confirmed he was there -- but he said he did not kill her.
He said he was stealing items from unlocked vehicles in the area when he saw her body. He said when he realized she was dead that he panicked and ran away.
“I didn’t shake the body. I checked the neck and put my hand like in between right here, no air -- no breath or nothing,” Jackson-Bolanos testified. “Once I realized I just touched a dead person, I grabbed the bag and left.”
He said he did not enter Woll’s home and did not kill her.
“I didn’t know whether she had like fallen outside or was drunk. Me as a person -- yeah, I am out doing wrong -- I still wanted to make sure that this person was OK,” Jackson-Bolanos said. “When I realized she was dead, I wanted nothing to do with the entire situation. I’m a black guy in the middle of the night breaking into cars and I find myself standing in front of a dead white woman -- that doesn’t look good at all.”
---> Full coverage of the Samantha Woll murder trial is available here.