Current:Home > FinanceSynagogue president found stabbed to death outside home -DollarDynamic
Synagogue president found stabbed to death outside home
SignalHub View
Date:2025-04-08 12:02:07
The president of a Detroit synagogue was found stabbed to death outside her home Saturday morning, police and the synagogue said.
Detroit police responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive person around 6:30 a.m. and found a body outside a home on Joliet Place. The woman had suffered multiple stab wounds, police said.
Although the police department didn't immediately identify the deceased person, the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue put out a statement later in the day identifying the woman as Samantha Woll, the synagogue's board president.
"At this point, we do not have more information, but will share more when it becomes available. May her memory be a blessing," the synagogue said in a Facebook post.
The police did not have any information on a possible motive behind the killing, which is being investigated as a homicide.
MORE: Jewish, Muslim, Arab communities see rise in threats, federal agencies say
"Police officers observed a trail of blood leading officers to the victim’s residence, which is where the crime is believed to have occurred," the police said in a statement.
The investigation is ongoing.
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.
Woll had a long career in local politics and worked with several elected officials over the years, according to her LinkedIn page.
She recently served as the political director for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's re-election campaign.
Nessel released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing shock at Woll's murder.
"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," Nessel said in her post which included a photo of Woll.
MORE: Law enforcement 'very concerned' about 'lone wolf' threat against Jewish communities after Hamas attack: Mayorkas
Woll also worked as a deputy district director for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who also released a statement on X following her death.
"She did for our team as Deputy District Director what came so naturally to her: helping others & serving constituents. Separately, in politics & in the Jewish community, she dedicated her short life to building understanding across faiths, bringing light in the face of darkness," Slotkin said.
Other Michigan elected officials also expressed their condolences.
"Decades ago, I shared a day of joy with Sam at the dedication of the newly renovated Downtown Synagogue. It was a project she successfully led with great pride and enthusiasm. Sam’s loss has left a huge hole in the Detroit community," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement to ABC affiliate WXYZ.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Detroit Police's Homicide section at 313-596-2260.
ABC News' Ben Siegel contributed to this report.
veryGood! (87)
Related
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine arrested by Dominican authorities on domestic violence charges
- 'Are We Dating the Same Guy?' What to know about controversial Facebook groups at center of lawsuit
- Judge dismisses juror who compared Connecticut missing mom case to the ‘Gone Girl’ plot
- 2025 'Doomsday Clock': This is how close we are to self
- 'Sports Illustrated' lays off most of its staff
- Horoscopes Today, January 19, 2024
- Indiana police identified suspect who left girls for dead in 1975. Genealogy testing played a key role in the case.
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Alec Baldwin is indicted in fatal shooting of cinematographer after new gun analysis
Ranking
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- All the best movies we saw at Sundance Film Festival, ranked (including 'Girls State')
- Pittsburgh synagogue being demolished to build memorial for 11 killed in antisemitic attack
- NFL quarterback confidence ranking: Any playoff passers to trust beyond Patrick Mahomes?
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Starting five: Caitlin Clark, Iowa try to maintain perfect Big Ten record, at Ohio State
- Scott Peterson, convicted of killing wife, Laci, has case picked up by LA Innocence Project, report says
- Stanford's Tara VanDerveer will soon pass Mike Krzyzewski for major coaching record
Recommendation
Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
Dior puts on a daytime fashion ballet under the Parisian stars
Recovering from natural disasters is slow and bureaucratic. New FEMA rules aim to cut the red tape
Russian prosecutors seek lengthy prison terms for suspects in cases linked to the war in Ukraine
'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
Patrick Mahomes’ Dad Pat Gushes Over “Down to Earth” Taylor Swift
U.S. vet wounded in Ukraine-Russia war urges Congress to approve more funding for Kyiv
Single women in the U.S. own more homes than single men, study shows