Funeral of Detroit synagogue leader set for Sunday; police seek motive

(Reuters) – A funeral will be held on Sunday for the president of a Detroit synagogue who was killed over the weekend, according to the funeral home’s website, as police searched for a motive.

Samantha Woll, 40, an adviser to Democratic politicians and president of Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside her home in the Lafayette Park neighborhood of Detroit on Saturday.

The Detroit Police Department said Woll’s body was found in the 1300 block of Joliet Place, where a trail of blood led to her home.

Police did not have an update as of Sunday morning. On Saturday, Detroit Police Chief James E. White said the department had mobilized numerous resources in its investigation and stressed the importance of not drawing conclusions.

“Understandably, this crime leaves many unanswered questions,” White said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

Woll’s death sparked an outpouring of grief in Jewish and Democratic circles.

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Samantha Woll, our Board President,” the synagogue said in a Facebook (NASDAQ:) post.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel remembered Woll as being driven by “her sincere love of her community, state and country.”

“Sam was as kind a person as I’ve ever known,” Nessel wrote on X, formerly called Twitter.

Elissa Slotkin, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for whom Woll had worked, said she was “heartbroken” at the news. “Sam worked for me from nearly the moment I became a Congresswoman, helping us set up the office & helping to lead it for my full first term.”

The funeral services will be held on Sunday afternoon in suburban Detroit.

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