Detroit, MI – A Detroit synagogue president was found stabbed dead this morning outside her home in the city’s Lafayette Park neighborhood, east of downtown.
Samantha Woll, 40, had led the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue since 2022 and previously worked for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and the re-election campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats.
Police said in an afternoon statement that a body found in the 1300 block of Joliet Place had been stabbed multiple times. A trail of blood led to the woman’s home, where police say 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.”
In a statement, the synagogue called Woll’s death “unexpected”
“At this point we do not have more information, but will share more when it becomes available. May her memory be a blessing.”
Police are investigating a possible motive, they said. They found a woman around 6:30 a.m. after someone called to alert them of a person lying on the ground unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
