Suspect in Detroit synagogue leader's fatal stabbing released without charges

A suspect arrested this week by Detroit police in the killing of synagogue leader Samantha Woll was released without being charged Friday, his attorney told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The suspect's release signals authorities did not have sufficient evidence to charge him with anything in the case, according to defense lawyers not affiliated with the case.

Police had said initially that the arrest was a positive step forward but cautioned that it should not be interpreted as the end of the investigation into Woll's killing. Many people had worried it could have been motivated by antisemitism relating to the deadly conflict in Israel and Gaza this fall, but police have since said no evidence suggests that motive.

Police arrested the man, whom they didn't name, late Tuesday in Kalamazoo. The suspect's attorney, Allison Kriger, confirmed he had had been released but declined to elaborate, saying it was inappropriate to comment on matters under investigation.

On Friday afternoon, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said it had not received a warrant request in the killing of Woll, a 40-year-old synagogue president and Democratic activist who police say was stabbed inside her home Detroit home Oct. 21.

Under Michigan law, criminal suspects cannot be held for more than three days without being charged.

Detroit police declined to comment on the case Friday and could not be reached for comment Saturday morning.

Adam Clements, a criminal attorney with Perkins Law Group who is not involved in the Woll case, said the release likely signals that the police lack evidence for charges at this point.

“If they made a decision to release someone, it's because they believe they don’t have enough evidence to charge or they don’t believe it would be in their best interest to charge at that particular time,” said Clements, who defends people accused of homicide in Detroit. “In a high profile case, they would want to err on the side of caution, move slowly, move methodically, to make sure the decision they make is actually supported by the evidence, especially in a case where the charge is going to be scrutinized.”

Detroit police announced Wednesday afternoon that they had taken a suspect into custody, and Chief James White called it "an encouraging development." But the chief cautioned that "it does not represent the conclusion of our work in this case." He declined to release additional details "to ensure the integrity of the important steps that remain."

Woll was found fatally stabbed outside her home in the townhouse district of Detroit’s Lafayette Park three weeks ago, in a case that has been the source of ongoing speculation.

White has said no evidence suggests the crime was motivated by antisemitism. Woll had attended a wedding the night before she was killed, and there were no signs of forced entry at her home.

She was president of the board of directors at the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue and worked for high-profile Democrats including Attorney General Dana Nessel and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin.