Michigan Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Woman Claims He Was in Wrong Place at Wrong Time
A man on trial for a Michigan murder denies the accusation and claims that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, according to media reports.
Popular synagogue leader and political activist, Samantha Woll, was fatally stabbed in the Lafayette Park neighborhood in Detroit in the early morning hours of October 21, 2023, Detroit Free Press reported.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos, who was also linked to several thefts, has been accused of Woll's murder and is charged with felony murder, first-degree murder, home invasion, and lying to law enforcement.
The death came as a shock to the local community who remembered Woll as a precious soul who wanted to bridge the gap between Muslims and Jews, The Independent reported. Woll's murder initially raised speculations amongst the public that it might be connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict, a theory police quickly dismissed.
A month into the investigation, Woll's ex-boyfriend was taken into custody by authorities as a person of interest. The ex-boyfriend, whose identity has been kept anonymous by authorities, allegedly called 911 and admitted to having killed Woll, The Independent reported.
"I had motive and opportunity and I don’t know what the third one is but I probably had that, too," he sobbed to officers in a video shown to jurors during the trial of Jackson-Bolanos in July.
The man was being treated for depression and in exchange for immunity testified in the trial that he made the call while experiencing a panic attack. "I believe now it was an adverse reaction to a medication," he explained.
Later, police arrested Jackson-Bolanos on December 10, 2023, in connection with Woll's murder, The Independent reported. Detroit Police Chief, James White, claimed to the reporters that his team went through hours of surveillance videos and other evidence before making the arrest.
The prosecution claimed that Jackson-Bolanos killed Woll while committing a home invasion, the Detroit Free Press reported. The prosecution stated to the jury that the victim's home was open and the accused while moving through the neighborhood entered the premises.
At 4:20 a.m. a motion sensor fixed in the victim's house noted some activity in the living room. Four minutes later Jackson-Bolanos was allegedly captured walking on a bridge about one-quarter mile from Woll's residence.
The prosecution also pointed out that Woll's blood was found on the accused's coat sleeve. Woll's body was found just outside her home by her neighbor, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Jackson-Bolanos, in his testimony to the jury, shared that he was attempting to break into cars in Woll's neighborhood when he stumbled across Woll's body and checked for a pulse, Detroit Free Press reported. It was while checking the pulse that the blood got on his sleeve, he claimed, the outlet reported.
The man added that he had not killed Woll and escaped the scene because he was afraid that he would be charged with the crime. "I'm a Black guy in the middle of the night, breaking into cars and I found myself standing in front of a dead white woman. It doesn't look good at all," Jackson Bolanos shared with the jury, Detroit Free Press reported.
Jackson-Bolanos' defense claimed that Woll's stabbing was a crime of passion and the murderer must have come to the scene to kill the victim, Detroit Free Press reported. The defense also alleged to the jury that no home invasion ever took place, as no item was taken from the victim's house.
Defense Attorney Brian Brown claimed that the motive was personal, The Independent reported. He added that the police arrested the wrong man and that his client was no angel, but he did not commit this murder.
The prosecution urged the jury not to believe the defendant and called him a serial liar, the Detroit Free Press reported. The team claimed that the accused lied to the police 40 times because he did not want to get charged for the killing.
"There are the only two people who can tell you exactly what happened inside her home," Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Ryan Elsey said during the closing argument. "One of the voices is the defendant. He is a liar. He has absolutely no credibility and his lies tell you that he’s guilty," Elsey said. "The other voice is Samantha."
Jackson-Belanos is a habitual offender, The Independent reported. He has spent two years on probation in the past for receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle. For a similar crime, he spent four years in prison in 2013, the outlet reported.
The murder trial went on for a month and the jury went into deliberation, Detroit Free Press reported. After two days of discussion, the jury informed that they were deadlocked. Wayne County Circuit Judge, Margaret Van Houten, instructed them to come back again on July 15 to reach a verdict.
On July 18, the jury acquitted Jackson-Belanos on first-degree murder but remained deadlocked on felony murder and home invasion charges, The Independent reported.
Woll's community is still reeling from such a beloved member's death, The Independent reported. More than 1,000 people attended Samantha Woll's funeral and expressed their condolences.