Via the Detroit Free Press:
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.
“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.”
I only knew Samantha Woll via various Metro Detroit-area Democratic campaign events, fundraisers and the like, but she was always energetic, positive and upbeat.
From others who knew her better than I:
And no, I’m not going to speculate on the motive at this time. There’s been too many kneejerk assumptions about who did things and why lately.
May her memory be a blessing.
UPDATE: According to the updated story at the Detroit Free Press:
"No evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism," Detroit Police Chief James White said in a statement Sunday afternoon. White had previously urged the public not to jump to conclusions about what happened.
Again, this doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a hate crime motivated by religion or politics, but it does mean the police haven’t found any evidence of that so far.
This is exactly the reason I didn’t speculate yesterday.
