DETROIT (NewsNation) — No one is currently in custody, but investigators are working through a number of people who “give us interest” in connection to the fatal stabbing of a Detroit synagogue president on Saturday, Police Chief James White said at a news conference Monday.
The synagogue president, Samantha Woll, 40, was found stabbed to death outside her home in Detroit around 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
White said there were no signs of forced entry at Woll’s residence.
“What we believe to have happened is after she was attacked inside the home, she stumbled outside and collapsed in the yard,” he told reporters Monday. “That’s where the blood trail appears to lead us and we’re pretty confident with that assessment, but we’re going to confirm that through forensics and experts in that field.”
Woll had attended a wedding Friday evening and returned around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, White said.
In an earlier statement to NewsNation, police said they found no evidence of antisemitism as a motive in Woll’s stabbing.
On Monday, White reiterated that statement, adding that there’s nothing that supports any other people or groups being in danger at this time.
“There’s certain tracks that these types of cases take when we talk about hate crimes,” White said. “We’re confident, with the information that we have right now, that this is not what we have right now…the evidence does not take us there.”
There is another theory that police are working through, White said, adding that law enforcement is still looking into all possibilities at this time.
“We’re not ruling out anything,” White said. “We’re looking at every aspect of this case. We’re going to go where the information and the evidence take us.”
Woll was remembered Sunday by family, friends and top Michigan officials as a generous, thoughtful leader who built bridges between communities.
“You so deeply wanted peace for this world. You fought for everyone regardless of who they were or where they came from,” said Monica Woll Rosen, directly addressing her late sister before mourners at the Jewish funeral home. “You were the definition of a leader. Our world is shattered without you.”
Known to friends and family as “Sam,” Woll led the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. She was a campaign staffer for Attorney General Dana Nessel and a former aide to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
Woll was born and raised in the Detroit area and was a University of Michigan graduate.
White said Sunday that investigators were working with the FBI to analyze forensic evidence to piece together a timeline leading to Woll’s death. That included interviewing “individuals with information that may further this investigation.”
He asked the public not to draw quick conclusions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
