A second person has been taken into custody in connection with the October killing of Samantha Woll, a Detroit synagogue leader, three weeks after police released a suspect from custody without filing charges.
Woll, 40, was fatally stabbed in her Lafayette Park home on Oct. 21 while returning from a wedding.
Authorities believe Woll was attacked in her home before stumbling outside. She was found around 6:30 am and pronounced dead at the scene.
She had been stabbed several times and a trail of blood led to her house.
The arrested man is not known to Woll and appears to be a 'random stranger', according to police.
Samantha Woll, 40, was a synagogue leader in Detroit and a Democratic campaign contributor
Sources reiterated the Detroit News that there is no evidence that Woll's murder is a hate crime.
In the weeks after Woll's death, police interviewed several persons of interest.
On November 8, an unknown man was arrested in the Kalamazoo area. However, the following weekend he was released without charge.
At the time, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said the man was released due to a lack of police paperwork, including a warrant.
However, unnamed sources told Local 4 that the suspect did so ambiguous statements to detectives that were not sufficient to justify a murder charge.
The suspect reportedly stopped talking to police by the time he was taken to the Detroit area and hired an attorney.
Under Michigan law, suspects cannot be held for more than three days without being charged.
Woll was honored for her role as chair of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue board of directors.
Woll was found stabbed to death outside her home last month
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, a suspect was arrested and quickly released after police failed to file the necessary paperwork.
She was also a campaign staffer for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and a former aide to Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
On Wednesday evening, Slotkin led a bipartisan delegation of her colleagues for a moment of silence on the House floor.
“From working in my very first congressional office to serving as president of her synagogue in Detroit, Sam had deep faith,” Slotkin said.
“Not just as a Jewish woman, but an abiding faith in humanity and a passion for interfaith relationships – something that is important to our country now more than ever.”
Detroit police have asked the community for help identifying a suspect.
“We are appealing to the community for any information and appreciate your patience as investigators thoroughly investigate every aspect of this case,” the department wrote in a statement.
“Our sincere thoughts remain with Mrs. Woll's loved ones.”
Woll's cousin, Lisa Schwartz, posted on Facebook shortly after her death.
However, sources told a local outlet that the man was released after he gave detectives ambiguous statements that were not enough for murder charges.
Woll was known for her role as chair of the board of directors of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue
Police said she had been stabbed multiple times. A trail of blood led from her house to her body
Detroit Police Chief James E. White says the department has ruled out anti-Semitism as a possible motive
'Losing a loved one through violence changes you. There are a lot of difficult emotions coming to the surface. But when it came to Sam, the effect was multi-dimensional,” Schwartz wrote.
'She was a 'connector'. She knew everyone, and everyone loved her for her energy, inspiration and dedication to her many causes.”
Detroit Police Chief James E. White said investigators have ruled out anti-Semitism as a possible motive.
The attack is believed to be an isolated incident, and Woll's killer is believed to have acted alone.
Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Woll's murder case.