Detroit police arrest suspect in killing of Jewish leader Samantha Woll
Detroit police have apprehended a suspect in the slaying of Samantha Woll, a prominent Jewish leader and president of the downtown Detroit synagogue.
Detroit Police Chief James White updated the public in a statement Wednesday afternoon, but declined to provide further details.
"While this is an encouraging development in our desire to bring closure for Ms. Woll’s family, it does not represent the conclusion of our work in this case. The details of the investigation will remain confidential at this time to ensure the integrity of the important steps that remain," White wrote in his statement.
Woll's body was discovered the morning of Oct. 21 with multiple stab wounds outside of her Lafayette Park home. A trail of blood led investigators to Woll's home, where police believe the crime occurred.
White previously told the public that he is "confident" the killing was not a hate crime or motivated by antisemitism and urged the public not to jump to conclusions.
Woll had attended a wedding the evening before and left just after midnight. Police were scouring video footage from the neighborhood and along the route from the wedding venue, White said.
When Woll left the wedding about 12:30 a.m., she appeared her normal, happy, joyful self, White said, based on interviews detectives had with other wedding attendees.
White said there was no forced entry at Woll's home. She is believed to have been attacked some time between 12:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., when she was found dead. White said investigators believe Woll had stumbled out of her home after the attack and collapsed in her yard.
Key to the investigation was whether Woll left the wedding alone, White said.
Woll, a political and community activist, had worked on the political campaigns for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Sen. Stephanie Chang, who gave tearful eulogies at Woll's funeral, and had worked for other Democrats.
Woll's interfaith work was praised. Loved ones at Woll's funeral described her as embodying kindness, compassion, understanding and justice.
Her family described her as kind, "an angel", and a "ray of sunshine to all that knew her."