Police are searching for motive in the death of the Detroit synagogue leader

[ThatRobGuy]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/22/us/detroit-president-synagogue-killing-sunday/index.html

Investigators are searching for a motive in the death of a Detroit synagogue leader found stabbed over the weekend, the city’s police chief said.

The body of Samantha Woll, president of the board of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was discovered with multiple stab wounds at her home on Saturday morning, the Detroit Police Department said in a statement. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Responding officers had followed “a trail of blood leading officers to the victim’s residence,” where it is believed the crime happened, the Detroit Police Department said in a statement.

Police have not identified a suspect in the case, and it’s still unclear what led up to the killing.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

As an update to the story (per ABC News 2 hours ago)

Woll's death comes as law enforcement agencies across the country are warning of increased anti-Semitic threats in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

"The investigation into the death of Ms. Woll remains ongoing. At this time, however, no evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism," Chief James White’s statement read.

 

[Ana the Ist]

"The investigation into the death of Ms. Woll remains ongoing. At this time, however, no evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism," Chief James White’s statement read.

It is Detroit.

And white supremacists have been known to take advantage of these situations.

If I were a betting man though...MI has a considerable Muslim population.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

It is Detroit.

And white supremacists have been known to take advantage of these situations.

If I were a betting man though...MI has a considerable Muslim population.

As of right now, it's tough to say since they haven't been able to establish any clear motive.

I would imagine/hope they're considering all possibilities.

1) Michigan does have a high Muslim Population (which given the current world events, it's probably one of the paths they're looking down)
2) Michigan also, according to the ADL: Michigan ranks 4th among the states in the amount of hate literature distributed by white supremacist groups...so I would imagine that's another avenue they're looking into as well.
3) The other aspect is that Detroit, in general, isn't a particularly safe city (depending on which stats you looks at, it ranks somewhere between 3rd and 6th in terms of home invasions), and ranks 4th in the nation in terms of overall murder rate.

 

[essentialsaltes]

“We have a number of people that give us interest, we are just short of calling one of the people a suspect, but we are working to that end,” the chief said. “We are confident that we’re going to develop a suspect, we’re not there right now as of this press conference.”

 

[FireDragon76]

I tried to find some info about the synagogue- it appears to be a Reformed. The woman that was killed, was equivalent to the church council president- not a clerical position per se (like a rabbi), but an administrative one. There doesn't seem to be any evidence of antisemitism that has surfaced as a motive.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Suspect arrested in killing of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll​

Investigators are treating her death as arising from a domestic dispute and not extremism, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.
Police did not identify the suspect in Woll’s killing. It’s unclear what charges the suspect may be facing.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Who is the suspect?​

Police have not identified the suspect, in accordance with a Michigan law that allows police to place an individual in custody without chargesfor up to 72 hours.

Detroit Police Chief James E. White has said from the start of the investigation that there was no evidence that the stabbing was a hate crime, as America is struggling to contain antisemitic and Islamophobic sentiment from the Israel-Gaza war.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Suspect released without charge in murder of Detroit synagogue President Samantha Woll​

Investigators are treating her death as arising from a domestic dispute and not extremism, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.

Police did not identify the suspect in Woll's killing. It's unclear what charges the suspect may be facing.

The suspect's attorney, Allison Kriger, told CNN Saturday law enforcement released her client from custody but would not provide any details on the conditions of the release.

Detroit Free Press: Police arrested the man, who multiple sources say was close with Woll and attended her funeral, late Tuesday in Kalamazoo.

“If they made a decision to release someone, it's because they believe they don’t have enough evidence to charge or they don’t believe it would be in their best interest to charge at that particular time,” said Clements, who defends people accused of homicide in Detroit. “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.”

 

[essentialsaltes]

Suspect released without charge in murder of Detroit synagogue President Samantha Woll​

Detroit Free Press: Police arrested the man, who multiple sources say was close with Woll and attended her funeral, late Tuesday in Kalamazoo.

Evidently *that* was the wrong guy.

Police have now charged a man with "murder during a home invasion".

Samantha Woll: Man charged in fatal stabbing of Detroit Jewish leader​

prosecutors say the suspect, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, did not know Ms Woll and did not appear to have committed a hate crime.

Mr Jackson-Bolanos had been on authorities' radar "a few weeks ago", according to Detroit police.

He was identified as "someone in that particular area" who was at the time being investigated over "a number of larcenies", but he had been released as there was not yet enough evidence to charge him over the killing, police chief James White said.

The suspect, who is accused of acting alone, also faces charges of home invasion and lying to police.

But his attorney told the Detroit Free Press that he is maintaining his innocence, noting that police had previously arrested and released another suspect.

[I confess, if one were writing a movie, the cops need a suspect in a high-profile crime and picked some larcenous drifter.]