Prosecutors present blood and surveillance evidence in Samantha Woll’s murder trial

The third week of the trial of a man accused of murdering Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll ended Thursday after lengthy testimony from multiple forensic experts and law enforcement officials.

Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 29, of Detroit, has been charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, home invasion and lying to police in connection with the fatal stabbing of Woll outside her Lafayette Park home last fall.

Prosecutors called numerous witnesses at trial, including the case’s lead investigators, friends, neighbors, a cellular data analysis expert, several forensic experts and two of Woll’s former partners — both of whom police reportedly ruled out.

On Thursday, three medical examiners from the Michigan State Police crime lab testified about DNA and blood evidence recovered from both Woll’s home and the home where Jackson-Bolanos lived at the time.

Toni Grusser, an expert in body fluid identification with the MSP crime lab, said during her testimony that a black North Face jacket found at the suspect’s home tested positive for the “possible presence” of blood, noting that the stain was not visible to the naked eye and had to be subjected to chemical testing to confirm its presence.

According to testimony from Michigan State Police DNA analyst Erica Anderson, a gray backpack cut in half in the suspect’s vehicle also “very strongly supported” the existence of Woll’s DNA profile.

Building the Grounds for a Conviction

Blood evidence is likely to be a key part of the prosecution’s case, along with surveillance footage and cellphone tower data that puts the suspect in the area around 4:20 a.m. — the time investigators believe the crime occurred — and shows him wearing what investigators believe was a black North Face jacket.

Surveillance video taken at about 3:24 a.m. at East Jefferson Avenue and McDougall Street also shows the suspect wearing what appears to be a black surgical glove, and surveillance video taken at 4:24 a.m. apparently shows the suspect walking near the Hollywood Casino in Greektown with a gray backpack.

Woll, 40, attended a friend’s wedding the night before her death, and ADT surveillance footage shows she returned home around 12:30 p.m. ADT records also showed the front door to Woll’s home was open around 1 a.m. and motion sensors in the living room were triggered at 1:24 a.m. and 4:20 a.m.

According to the testimony of Detroit Police Detective Sarah Markel, the last outgoing message from Woll’s phone was a single heart emoji sent to a person named David Wolkinson at 1:02 a.m., and Woll’s phone was last unlocked at 1:29 a.m.

It is unclear whether Wolkinson will testify in the case.

Macabre scene

Woll’s body was found by a neighbor on the sidewalk in front of her home on Joliet Place around 6 a.m. A trail of blood led from her body to the front door.

On the first day of the trial, Detroit Police Sergeant Daron Zhou testified that there was a “significant amount of blood in the hallway leading to the unit,” as well as a significant amount of blood throughout the house — including the living room and the stairwell leading to the basement. During a preliminary examination, Zhou testified that there appeared to be a struggle during the attack, a bowl of fruit from the dining room table fell to the floor, and pillows and blankets on the living room floor were soaked in blood.

The medical examiner’s report shows Woll was stabbed a total of eight times – three times in the head and five times in the neck and back.

Brian Brown’s attorney said the complete lack of DNA evidence pointing to his client’s presence at the scene and the small amount of blood traces allegedly found on the North Face jacket and backpack made it more likely that his client encountered Woll’s body on the sidewalk rather than committing the crime. murder, considering the amount of blood found in the house.

Possibility of reasonable doubt

Woll’s ex, Jeffrey Herbstman, dated her for a year before she reportedly broke up with him in July 2023.

He was the first person arrested by Detroit police as a person of interest in the case after he called 911 on Nov. 7, apparently having a nervous breakdown, and said he “may pose a danger to others.”

Herbstman told officers who arrived at the scene that he feared he may have killed his girlfriend but did not remember doing so, adding that he had “motive and opportunity, and I can try to outsmart people.”

During his testimony, Herbstman told the jury that he suffered from depression and was instructed by his psychiatrist at the time to double the dose of medication he was prescribed, which he believed contributed to his “psychotic break.”

“I started to believe that I was responsible for her death, that I had somehow killed her, but I didn’t remember doing it,” Herbstman told Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Elsey. “I couldn’t shake that feeling, it was incredibly disturbing.”

Herbstman, who later recanted and was released without charge three days after his arrest, said he immediately stopped using the drug and has had no similar problems since.

Defense attorney Brown noted during cross-examination of Sgt. Detroit police. Lance Sullivan on Wednesday reported that an unknown person was captured on surveillance in a parking lot near the Wolla apartment building around 1:24 a.m.

Wolla’s neighbor also testified that he was walking his dog around 1:24 a.m. and heard what sounded like a woman talking or shouting into a bullhorn, which he found unusual at the time but not alarming.

Sullivan said that while investigators found surveillance video of a person running from the scene of the incident noteworthy, no other surveillance footage of the person was located.

Brown has not yet called any defense witnesses in the case as prosecutors continue to present their case.

A community in mourning

Since 2022, Woll has headed the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue and is considered by many to be a pillar of the Detroit metropolitan area Jewish community.

Sherri Berger, one of Woll’s longtime friends, testified that Woll was “eternally optimistic,” adding that “her enthusiasm was truly contagious and infectious. She was just full of life and always wanted to help people and share her love with others.

Berger and other friends of Woll testified that she regularly left doors open.

The hearing will resume on Monday at 8:30 a.m.