Samantha Woll murder case: Second 'person of interest' detained in the murder of Detroit synagogue leader

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: A second 'person of interest' was apprehended by the Detroit authorities over the weekend as they continue probe into Samantha Woll's killing. Woll, who was a well-known and respected synagogue president, played an active role in local politics before she was found dead outside of her home on October 21, the morning after she attended a wedding. 

Law enforcement was able to get hold of a different 'person of interest' last month who was later released after 72 hours of questioning without being charged. 

What did the authorities say after making the second arrest in Samantha Woll murder case?

"[The Detroit Police Department] can confirm that a person of interest has been taken into custody in furtherance of the investigation into the murder of Samantha Woll," Detroit police told The New York Post in a statement.

"In an effort to ensure the integrity of this ongoing investigation, no further details will be released at this time. Additional information will be released in the near future," the statement added.

No other details have been released by the police department concerning the second person in custody, including the suspect's identity, because no charges have been filed as of Monday morning, December 11. Woll was the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue at the time of her death. 

Local defense lawyer knew the first suspect would get released

Local defense lawyer Edward Bajoka, who isn't connected to the case previously said in an interview after the first arrest and release in November that the suspect was likely let go for one of two reasons.

"This tells me either police don't have enough evidence to proceed with formal criminal charges, or police interviewed him and cleared him," said Bajoka, an attorney with the Detroit-based Bajoka Law Group. Bajoka said police would likely detain a suspect in a case like this with the hope they would make self-incriminating remarks. 

How did Samantha Woll die?

Woll was stabbed to death inside her Lafayette Park home when she was returning home from a wedding on October 21. She stumbled outside and collapsed on her front lawn. According to police, there were no signs of forced entry. An anonymous caller alerted emergency responders after finding her body around 6.30 am. 

Snippets of the emergency dispatch were heard on the police scanner early that morning saying it was a suspicious death and described a trail of blood at the scene. The suspect's release added to the mystery surrounding the death of Woll, who was killed as tensions and antisemitic attacks were on the rise with the Israel-Hamas war raging overseas.