No charges against suspect in murder of Detroit-area Jewish leader Samantha Woll.
By Susan Tawil, World Israel News
Authorities in Michigan have released the sole suspect who has been taken into custody in connection with the murder of a Jewish community leader, with no charges pressed thus far.
Samantha Woll, 40, an active member of Metro-Detroit’s Jewish community, was found stabbed to death outside her Detroit, Michigan home on October 21.
A suspect was arrested last week in Kalamazoo, 140 miles due west of Detroit, but was released without charges on Friday, November 10. Under Michigan state law, suspects cannot be held for more than 72 hours without a court hearing.
Detroit police have revealed neither the suspect’s name, nor his motive. Despite the charged global atmosphere brought on by the Israel-Hamas conflict, Detroit Police Chief James White, in charge of the investigation, maintains that the murder was not motivated by antisemitism, and was not a hate crime.
Woll was President of the Downtown Detroit Isaac Agree Synagogue, the only synagogue in Detroit proper. She was active in politics, and served as Political Director for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D)’s campaign. She also worked as Deputy District Director for Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D).
Woll was well liked, and thought of as a kind and caring person who “built bridges” and fought for social justice. She attended a friend’s wedding the night before her body was discovered at 6:30 am the following morning.