DETROIT (WWJ) – Charges have been filed against a man accused of stabbing Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll to death.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday afternoon Michael Jackson-Bolanos of Detroit has been charged with felony murder, home invasion and lying to police.
Worthy said during a press conference there is no evidence to suggest that he knew Woll and there is “not a shred of evidence” that it was a hate crime.
Jackson-Bolanos, 28, is also suspected of breaking into several vehicles in the area of Woll’s home around the time of her death. Authorities believe he was trying to break into her home the night she was killed.
Woll, President of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside her Lafayette Park home the morning of Oct. 21. Authorities have said Woll attended a wedding the night before she was found murdered.
Investigators believe Jackson-Bolanos attacked Woll inside her home, before she stumbled outside. A trail of blood was found from her front door, which was left ajar, to the spot where a neighbor found her body.
Jackson-Bolanos had been considered a "person of interest" in the case until new evidence surfaced over the weekend, prompting his arrest on Sunday. Detroit Police Chief James White said police had been monitoring Jackson-Bolanos' movements from the time he was identified as a "person of interest" until he was arrested.
While Jackson-Bolanos was under investigation for alleged larceny and attempted larceny from multiple cars near the Lafayette Park neighborhood, officials did not say whether he will be charged for those crimes.
Jackson-Bolanos' arrest on Sunday was the second time Detroit police took a person of interest into custody in connection with Woll's murder. Last month a man was arrested in Kalamazoo and released two days later.
Wednesday night Woll's family released a statement, saying they are "sincerely grateful to the hard-working women and men of the DPD Homicide Task Force who worked around the clock for weeks to thoroughly investigate this tragic crime."
“Through their dedication and tireless efforts we firmly believe that they have successfully solved this senseless crime. We cannot thank them enough," the statement continued. “We would also like to thank everyone for their support and prayers. Samantha’s death is an unspeakable tragedy that has affected not only her family and friends but also those who knew her as a devoted community activist, leader and bridge builder. She was loved deeply and her light spread far and wide. We ask that the media respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
In addition to her role as a leader in Detroit’s Jewish community, Woll had previously worked as an aide to Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and with Attorney General Dana Nessel on her reelection campaign.
Because of her leadership role with the synagogue, some had wondered if her murder was motivated by antisemitism or sparked by the Israel-Hamas war that began two weeks prior to her death. Officials have said multiple times over the course of the investigation that no evidence has surfaced suggesting antisemitism played a role in the killing.
Worthy said Woll's family was contacted prior to Wednesday's press conference.
Worthy said she could "absolutely not" comment on Jackson-Bolanos' prior criminal history.
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