22 | FEBRUARY 1 • 2024 J
N

OUR COMMUNITY

A

t the conclusion 
of the two-day, 
six-hour-long 
preliminary examination for 
the man accused of killing 
Detroit Jewish lay leader 
Samantha Woll, the presiding 
judge ruled there was enough 
evidence for the case against 
Michael Jackson-Bolanos to 
stand trial.
Jackson-Bolanos is facing 
multiple charges, including 
felony murder during the 
perpetration or attempted 
perpetration of a larceny 
and/or a first-degree home 
invasion, along with separate 
charges of home invasion and 
lying to a police officer. 
At the end of the 
preliminary examination, 
Judge Kenneth King of the 
36th District Court questioned 
the prosecution’s decision 
in bringing forth the felony 
murder charge instead of a 
first-degree premeditated 
murder charge. Judge King 
argued there was a stronger 
argument for the latter charge. 
A first-degree premeditated 
murder charge will be added to 

the existing charges at the trial. 
 
The charges of felony 
murder and first-degree 
premeditated murder each 
carry a sentence of life in 
prison.
Jackson-Bolanos, 28, is 
accused of fatally stabbing 
Woll several times during 
an Oct. 21 home invasion 
in Detroit’s Lafayette Park 
neighborhood. 
Over the course of the 
hearing, which took place on 
Jan. 16 and Jan. 23, Assistant 
Wayne County Prosecutor 
Ryan Elsey brought 12 
witnesses to the stand to 
testify. Elsey formed the 

prosecution’s case with several 
layers of evidence including 
extensive cell phone data, 
video surveillance footage and 
Samantha Woll’s blood linking 
Jackson-Bolanos to the crime 
scene. 
The first day of the hearing, 
which included testimony 
from six law enforcement 
officials and the neighbor who 
found Woll’s body, focused on 
Woll’s ADT security sensors 
and her phone activity in the 
hours before her murder. 

VIDEO FOOTAGE
The second day of the 
hearing focused on video 
footage, especially regarding 
the whereabouts of Jackson-
Bolanos before and after the 
time of Woll’s murder. 
Citing surveillance footage 
and cell phone tower data, 
authorities said Jackson-
Bolanos was near Woll’s 
home shortly before she was 
found dead the morning after 
attending a wedding.
According to testimony, 
Jackson-Bolanos was there 
when Woll’s home security 

system detected motion in her 
living room, where she was 
believed to be sleeping on a 
couch. Authorities testified 
that ADT security system 
records show Woll’s front door 
was left open ahead of the 
attack with no indication it was 
ever closed.
Elizabeth Stockmeyer, the 
Michigan State Police detective 
in charge of the case, testified 
that police retrieved a black 
jacket believed to be worn by 
Jackson-Bolanos the night of 
Woll’s murder. Later, a DNA 
test on a bloodstain found on 
the jacket was determined to 
be a likely match for Woll’s 
blood.
Over the course of the 
hearing, Jackson-Bolanos’ 
attorney Brian Brown 
attempted to poke holes in the 
prosecution’s case. 
One instance centered on 
the fact that police did not 
have any physical evidence of 
Jackson-Bolanos being inside 
Woll’s home or any video 
footage of him going into or 
walking out of her home. 
Four law enforcement 

Woll Murder 
Suspect to 
Stand Trial

Prosecution lays out 
evidence placing suspect 
at the scene of the crime.

DANNY SCHWARTZ 
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER 

Samantha Woll

