A politically connected Detroit synagogue president was found stabbed to death Saturday morning outside her home in the city’s Lafayette Park neighborhood, east of downtown.
Samantha Woll, 40, led the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue and previously worked for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, and on the reelection campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat.
Police said in an afternoon statement that they were investigating after finding a body stabbed multiple times in the 1300 block of Joliet Place. A trail of blood led to the victim’s home, where police said they believe the crime occurred.
Detroit Police Chief James White asked for patience in a statement released Saturday evening and said an update on the investigation would come Sunday. “Over the course of the last several hours, the DPD has mobilized many of its resources and has been leveraging every law enforcement and community resource it has to help further the investigation. Understandably, this crime leaves many unanswered questions.”
“I am shocked, saddened and horrified to learn of Sam’s brutal murder,” Nessel said in a statement. “Sam was as kind a person as I’ve ever known. She was driven by her sincere love of her community, state and country. Sam truly used her faith and activism to create a better place for everyone.”
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan called Woll one of Detroit’s “great young leaders” and said he recently met with her at the dedication of the renovated synagogue, a project he said she led “with great pride and enthusiasm.”
Woll had led the synagogue since 2022 and was involved in other local Jewish organizations. A statement sent by its rabbi said it was “shocked and saddened,” by Woll’s “unexpected death.”
Police have not yet identified a motive, they said. They were called to a woman found lying on the ground unresponsive at about 6:30 a.m. and pronounced her dead at the scene, they said.
The FBI is aware of the case and is assisting Detroit police as requested, said Gabrielle Szlenkier, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Detroit field office, in an email. The FBI referred all questions to local police.
As of Saturday afternoon, police were still in the area where