The president of a synagogue in Detroit was found outside her home on Saturday fatally stabbed, CBS News reported.
Samantha Woll, the board president for Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit, was found Saturday morning dead from multiple stab wounds.
According to CNN, officers were dispatched to the Lafayette Park neighborhood Saturday morning after receiving reports about someone lying on the ground unresponsive. Responding officers found a “trail of blood” that led them to Woll’s home where investigators believe the stabbing took place.
While police did not initially identify the victim, the Detroit Free Press confirmed that the victim was found outside of Woll’s home.
Michigan’s Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed Woll’s murder in a post on X, saying she was “horrified” and “saddened” to learn of her “brutal death.”
In a statement on social media Saturday night, Detroit Police Chief James White said the motive remains unknown and the murder is under investigation. He asked for patience as police “carefully examine every aspect of the available evidence.”
White said it was vital not to draw conclusions about the crime “until all of the available facts are reviewed.”
The FBI and the Michigan State Police are assisting in the investigation.
After being briefed on the incident, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer described Woll’s murder as a “vicious crime” and expressed her sympathy to Woll’s friends and family and Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue.
Whitmer described Woll as “a source of light” and a “beacon in her community.”
Woll previously worked with Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.
In a post on X, Slotkin said Woll “dedicated her short life to building understanding across faiths” and “bringing light in the face of darkness.”
In a press conference on Monday, Detroit police said there are “a number” of persons of interest, one of whom could be a possible suspect in Woll’s murder.
