Detroit Synagogue President Stabbed to Death: Police

Samantha Woll, president of the board at the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue poses for a photo in Detroit on Oct. 13, 2022. David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP

The president of a synagogue in Detroit, Michigan, has been found stabbed to death, with law enforcement working on confirming a motive for the killing.

Samantha Woll, 40, was found dead outside her home in the Lafayette Park neighborhood on Saturday, police said.

Ms. Woll served as the president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. She was also an adviser to Democrat politicians.

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Samantha Woll, our Board President,” the synagogue announced on Facebook. “May her memory be a blessing,”

Ms. Woll was also a co-founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Greater Detroit. The interfaith organization shared a message on Facebook, mourning Ms. Woll’s death: “Sam was one of the dear founders of this forum. She was such a sweet, cheerful, thoughtful soul. May her memory be a blessing.”

James E. White, the chief of the Detroit Police Department, said an investigation is underway.

“This crime leaves many unanswered questions,” he said in a statement, adding an update on the status of the case would be issued on Sunday.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a Democrat, said in a statement: “I was devastated today to learn of the loss of one of Detroit’s great young leaders—Samantha Woll.”

“Just weeks 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,” he added. “Sam’s loss has left a huge hole in the Detroit community. This entire city joins with her family and friends in mourning her tragic death.”

Ms. Woll previously worked for Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel.

“Sam was as kind a person as I’ve ever known,” Ms. Nessel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “She was driven by her sincere love of her community, state, and country.”

Ms. Slotkin said she was “heartbroken” upon learning about Ms. Woll’s death. “Sam worked for me from nearly the moment I became a Congresswoman, helping us set up the office & helping to lead it for my full first term,” she said in a statement on X.

“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,” Ms. Slotkin continued.

“My heart aches that we have lost someone so dedicated to serving others in such a senseless act. I’ll miss her relentless desire to serve & her bright smile seemingly everywhere across the Detroit area. Team Slotkin shares in the deep grief of her family & her greater community.”

Detroit police chief James White said on Sunday that officers are continuing to interview “individuals with information that may further the investigation” into the stabbing of Ms. Woll.

“No evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by anti-Semitism,” he added.

The FBI is assisting in the investigation.