DETROIT (WWJ) – Detroit police have identified what they call “multiple persons of interest” as authorities continue to investigate the murder of Samantha Woll, a prominent synagogue leader who was found stabbed to death early Saturday morning.
Woll, 40, had returned to her home on Joliet Place in the Lafayette Park neighborhood around 12:30 a.m. after leaving a Friday night wedding, Detroit Police Chief James White said Monday during a press conference updating the case.
White said thus far in the investigation, by all accounts Woll was not in any discomfort or distress and was her “normal, positive and pleasant self,” as described by some people authorities have interviewed.
Detroit police got a 911 call around 6:30 a.m. reporting her body was found outside the home. A trail of blood was found leading from her home to the body. White said blood spatters are still being analyzed, but officials believe she was stabbed inside her home and stumbled outside.
It is not clear how long she was lying outside before her body was found, but White said investigators are confident it was “quite a while.”
The FBI and Michigan State Police are assisting Detroit police in the investigation.
Woll served as the Board President of Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue. She was also connected to Michigan's political world, having previously worked for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, and on the reelection campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel.
At this time, authorities do not believe antisemitism played a role in the murder and the community is not at risk. But the chief did say “we’re not ruling out anything” and they’re going to “go where the evidence takes us.”
“There were no signs of forced entry. We believe that there are no other groups or anyone else at risk in regards to this incident,” White said Monday afternoon. “We believe that this incident was not motivated by antisemitism and this suspect acted alone.”
While police are limited in the details they can share surrounding the case, White says through interviews conducted so far, they have identified multiple people they are “interested in,” though no one has risen to the status of “suspect.”
No information on any of those people has been disclosed, as officials don’t want to compromise the investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone who knows something about Woll's murder to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or at detroitrewards.tv.
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