
The man accused of slaying a Detroit synagogue leader whose body was found in October outside her home will face trial, a judge ordered Tuesday, according to The Associated Press reported.
Judge Kenneth King of Detroit’s 36th District Court found that there is enough evidence to bind Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 28, over to circuit court on murder, home invasion and lying to police charges. King also added a first-degree premeditated murder charge.
Woll, President of the board of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was found dead outside her home with multiple stab wounds on her body on October 21.
Early in the investigation, police said there was no evidence to suggest her slaying was a hate crime, and the local prosecutor reiterated this on Wednesday.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has said there is not a “shred of evidence” that Woll was killed as a result of antisemitism or any hate crime. She has also said the two did not know each other.
“She was the victim of a brutal attack,” King said Tuesday. “This place was covered with blood all over. This kind of thing should not happen anywhere, let alone in the city of Detroit.”
Police initially arrested another person in the murder, but that person was released in November. Jackson-Bolanos, of Detroit, was charged in December.
The prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday that Jackson-Bolanos’ cellphone placed him near Woll’s home. They said a small amount of blood was found on a jacket that belonged to him and was seen on surveillance video.
Jackson-Bolanos’ defense attorney, Brian Brown, said prosecutors still failed to prove his client killed Woll.
Jackson-Bolanos is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 30 in Wayne County Circuit Court. He was ordered Tuesday to remain in jail.