Jury tries again for a verdict in Detroit synagogue leader’s murder

DETROIT (AP) — Jurors tried again Thursday to reach a verdict in the trial of a man charged with killing a Detroit synagogue leader after repeatedly telling a judge that a unanimous decision has been out of reach.

The jury resumed deliberations at the Wayne County courthouse after a day off Wednesday.

Michael Jackson-Bolanos is accused of fatally stabbing Samantha Woll at her home last October. He testified in his own defense, insisting that he had no role but acknowledging that he touched the body when he discovered it outdoors in the middle of the night.

Woll’s death immediately raised speculation about whether it was some type of antisemitic retaliation amid the Israel-Hamas war, though police quickly knocked down that theory.

She was president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and also active in Democratic politics, working for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and state Attorney General Dana Nessel. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Woll was a “beacon in her community.”

The jury has been deliberating for five days, but it had to start its work anew this week when a juror was excused and an alternate was promoted.

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Judge Margaret Van Houten suggested Tuesday she’ll “accept the deadlock” and likely declare a mistrial if no verdict emerges soon. Jackson-Bolanos is charged with first-degree murder, home invasion and lying to police.

Woll, 40, was found with multiple stab wounds outside her home, just east of downtown Detroit, hours after returning from a wedding. Investigators believe she was attacked inside the residence but got outdoors before collapsing in the middle of the night.

The trial has mostly centered on circumstantial evidence. Police said Jackson-Bolanos’ jacket had spots of Woll’s blood. While there is video of him walking in the area, there’s no evidence of him being inside her home.

Jackson-Bolanos told the jury that he was in the neighborhood looking for unlocked cars. He said “absolutely not” when his attorney asked if he broke into Woll’s townhouse and stabbed her.

Investigators first arrested a former boyfriend who made a hysterical call to 911 and told authorities that he believed he might have killed Woll but couldn’t remember it. He said an adverse reaction to a medication caused him to make the call. He was not charged.