FIRST ON FOX: DETROIT – A neighbor of slain Detroit synagogue president and political strategist Samantha Woll said her tires were slashed the same weekend Woll was stabbed to death.
The woman, who asked that her name be withheld, exclusively told Fox News Digital that she and her husband left town from Friday and returned Sunday.
When they got back, they noticed that the two driver-side tires on their white Mercedes were flat.
“I thought maybe I went over a nail,” she said. However, on closer inspection, they could clearly see the puncture marks. The car was parked about 200 feet from Woll’s townhome.
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Samantha Woll standing inside Detroit’s Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. She was found stabbed to death Saturday morning. (Facebook)
“We’ve never had a tire slashing down here that I’ve known about, and we’ve been down here 30 years,” she said.
The quiet townhome complex in the upscale Lafayette Park neighborhood is deeply shaken by the shocking stabbing of the 40-year-old beloved community leader and avid supporter of Israel.
“It’s very family friendly here,” the neighbor noted. “There are a lot of families and playgrounds. We’ve been down here since 1992 and nothing like this has ever happened. Something this violent, it’s scary.”
The only other violent incident she could recall was a domestic dispute years ago.
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A photo illustration depicts a slashed tire belonging to a neighbor of Samantha Woll in Detroit. (Rebecca Rosenberg/Fox News Digital )
The woman’s husband reported the vandalism of their car on Sunday to the Detroit police officers who were in the complex investigating the murder.
“I don’t know if it’s connected or not, but it’s unnerving. It’s unnerving right now because you don’t know,” said the neighbor, who added that she did not know Woll. Police have not followed up to tow the car or process it for evidence, the woman said.
Detroit police found Woll’s body about 6:30 a.m. Saturday when they responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive person outside her home.
She had sustained stab wounds, and there was a trail of blood on the sidewalk that led to her home. Police said they believe the crime occurred inside the home.
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Samantha Woll, a Detroit synagogue president, found dead outside her home, according to police. (Dana Nessel/X)
Detroit’s top law enforcement official said Sunday that “no evidence has surfaced” indicating that her murder was motivated by antisemitism.
A “BLACK LIVES MATTER” sign above a “DETROIT STANDS WITH ISRAEL” flyer and a photo of an Israeli flag are taped to the window directly to the right of Woll’s front door.
A bouquet of flowers and a blue vase with a single rose had been left nearby. The townhome to the left is undergoing renovations and is currently empty. The unusual units are like glass boxes and completely see-through without curtains.
Woll was a well-known and adored leader in the community. As president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue, she spearheaded a massive renovation of the historic building.
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This photo illustration depicts a pro-Israel sticker shown in Samantha Woll’s front entrance to her apartment in Detroit. (Rebecca Rosenberg/Fox News Digital)
She was involved in many Jewish organizations and previously worked for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and on the re-election campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats.
She co-founded the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit, whose mission is to encourage a positive relationship between the two communities.
Michigan Democratic Congressman Rashida Tlaib, who has been a vocal critic of Israel, wrote a tribute to Woll on Facebook. “My friend, and a member of our organizing community, Sam Woll, was murdered. I have no words. She always had a sweet smile to offer and the warmest eyes to greet you. Our community is devastated and we are shocked,” she wrote.
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Law enforcement officers stand near the scene where Detroit synagogue president Samantha Woll was found dead Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. (David Rodriguez Munoz/USA TODAY NETWORK)
While many suspect that Woll’s public support of Israel and leadership in the Jewish community may have made her a target of a hate crime, police and other organizations have urged the public not to jump to any conclusions.
The Michigan chapter of the Anti-Defamation League has asked the public to refrain from speculating on the motive and allow the investigation to play out.
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The FBI and Michigan State Police are also helping in the murder probe.
Police ask anyone with information about the crime to contact the Homicide Section as soon as possible at 313-596-2260.
Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
