Jurors reach partial verdict in Detroit synagogue leader murder case

Jurors returned a partial verdict Thursday in the trial of a man accused of killing Samantha Woll, a Detroit synagogue leader.

Michael Jackson-Bolanos was acquitted of first-degree murder, but the jury deadlocked on felony murder and home invasion charges after five days of deliberations, according to Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ. He was found guilty of concealing facts from police.

Woll, president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside her home in Detroit's Lafayette Park neighborhood on Oct. 21, 2023.

Prosecutors alleged Jackson-Bolanos had been in the area that night trying to steal from cars, and decided to rob Woll after he saw her door open. He fatally stabbed her during the robbery, they alleged.

In his testimony, Jackson-Bolanos admitted to being at the scene of the crime, but denied killing her, saying he fled after finding her dead.

Shortly after her death, Detroit Police said they did not believe the crime was motivated by antisemitism.

Woll's ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Herbstman, was initially arrested for her death, but was later cleared. On Nov. 7, he called 911 in a panic, telling police he was having a psychotic break after taking a new antidepressant with marijuana, and thought he may have killed Woll but could not remember it, authorities said.

Herbstman was released after police investigated and found no evidence tying him to the crime. He testified during the trial, saying he made the call due to "adverse effects of my medication," according to the Detroit Free Press.

Woll had a long career in local politics and worked with several elected officials over the years, having previously served as the political director for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's re-election campaign.

Following news of Woll's death, Nessel released a statement expressing her shock.

"Sam was as kind a person as I’ve ever known," she said. "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."

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who Woll worked for as a deputy district director, also released a statement in the wake of her death.

"She did for our team as Deputy District Director what came so naturally to her: helping others & serving constituents," Slotkin said. "Separately, in politics & in the Jewish community, she dedicated her short life to building understanding across faiths, bringing light in the face of darkness."