Samantha Woll, a Detroit Jewish leader active in interfaith work and local politics, was found dead outside her home Saturday morning after being stabbed to death. She was 40.
Woll's body was discovered after a trail of blood led to her home, where she was found with multiple stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene.Detroit police Chief James E. White stated that, "Over the course of the last several hours, the DPD has mobilized many of its resources and has been leveraging every law enforcement and community resource it has to help further the investigation."
Woll had been board president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue since 2022. The Mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, said he was "devastated" by the loss of "one of Detroit's great young leaders," and that "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."
Police say that they are still investigating the incident, and have not declared a motive. It is unclear if the killing has any connection to the ongoing war in Israel. "At this point, we do not have any additional information, but we will share additional information when it becomes available," Woll's synagogue said.
Woll had worked in constituency services for Rep. Elissa Slotkin and on the re-election campaign of Detroit Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats whose Jewish identity has played a prominent role in their public life.
I am shocked, saddened and horrified to learn of Sam’s brutal murder. 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. pic.twitter.com/gIYRP4USaj
— Dana Nessel (@dananessel) October 21, 2023
Slotkin also released a statement on Facebook, saying that Woll "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."
The congresswoman made headlines in 2019 for comments she made about antisemitism and partisan politics.
Woll was 'instrumental' in Jewish-Muslim interfaith work
In 2017, Woll was named one of Detroit Jewish News' "36 Under 36." In the profile, she is described as a "social justice and political activist" who was "instrumental in the founding of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit — a grassroots collective of young adults of both faiths who gather in partnership to learn, celebrate and build community together.
"By extending her hand and creating space for connection between Muslims and Jews," the profile said, "she has exemplified the values of healing the world."
Although the motive of the killing is as yet unknown, the murder comes just days after the US Attorney-General warned that both Muslims and Jews are at increased risk of threats and hate crimes due to the atmosphere created in response to the war in Israel.
The fatal stabbing also occurred only a week after a Palestinian-American boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed to death in Illinois.