On Sunday, relatives, friends, and senior Michigan authorities recalled a Detroit synagogue president who was stabbed at home as a caring, thoughtful leader who established bridges between communities.
In a photograph that was made public by Kimberly Bush on September 4, 2022 in Royal Oak, Michigan, Samantha Woll, on the left, poses alongside Dana Nessel, the Attorney General of Michigan. On Saturday, October 21, 2023, the body of Woll, a campaign worker for Nessel’s 2022 election, was discovered stabbed to death outside her home in the city of Detroit. Woll served as the head of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in his role as president. (Source: WNTC on Tour Side)
According to Investigation Report
Police claimed their investigation into Samantha Woll’s murder found no anti-Semitic motive as mourners gathered. Woll, a Detroit synagogue president, 40 years old, known as “Sam” to friends and family, directed the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, worked for Attorney General Dana Nessel’s campaign, and was a former adviser to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin. “You deeply desired world peace. Monica Woll Rosen addressed her late sister in the Jewish funeral home, saying, “You fought for everyone regardless of who they were or where they came from.” “You embodied leadership. Our world is devastated without you.”
An unresponsive person was reported to police at Woll’s residence last Saturday morning, and her death was located. Cpl. Dan Donakowski said officers tracked a “trail of blood” to Woll’s home, where they suspect she was killed. Sunday, Police Chief James E. White said investigators were working with the FBI to review forensic evidence to determine Woll’s death timeline. That includes questioning “individuals with information that may further this investigation.”
READ ALSO: Suspects of Ecuador’s Presidential Candidate Murder Killed in Prison
No Antisemitism Involved in the Incident
White added, “No evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism.” He promised more on Monday. Woll grew up in Detroit and graduated from Michigan. 2022 saw her elected Isaac Agree with Downtown Synagogue board president. The crowd represented many religions, which friends and relatives thought characterized Woll. Muslim advocacy groups lauded her interfaith work. Her family said she wanted Black Lives Matter and other connections. Her colleagues claimed she loved travel and the arts, and had an “infectious smile” that could light up a room. The service made fun of her eating restrictions and her habit of donating nice clothes.
Nessel, who named Woll one of her biggest supporters, was amazed by her activity in old photos. Nessel conjectured that she attended every campaign event, political protest, religious service, and ribbon-cutting. She even believes she saw herself in a photograph of the moon landing. Woll’s sister claims her last text was a heart to a friend. Monica Woll Rosen addressed her late sister, saying, “You sent hearts to cheer people up and let them know you were thinking of them because you cared. A light has gone out in Detroit, in our hearts, for our people, for the world.”
READ ALSO: Los Angeles District Attorney Imposes Additional Charges to Salazar After a Deputy Being Killed
