DETROIT (WWJ) — More than a month after the Michael Jackson-Bolanos trial began, the jury on Thursday returned with a partial verdict, finding him guilty of one count, not guilty on another and declaring a mistrial on two other charges.
The 29-year-old Detroit man had been charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, home invasion and lying to police in connection with the October 2023 stabbing death of Detroit Jewish leader Samantha Woll.
The jury found him not guilty of first-degree murder and guilty of lying to police, though they were unable to reach a verdict on the felony murder and home invasion charges.
Last Friday Judge Margaret Van Houten told the jury to not give up just yet after they had told her they were “hopelessly deadlocked.” The jury again returned deadlocked on Monday and Tuesday. After a day off from deliberations due to jury schedule conflicts on Wednesday, the jury returned with their final decisions on Thursday around 2 p.m.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Van Houten will determine a pre-trial conference for the remaining counts.
“First, I want to thank the jury for their time, dedication, and attention to this case. We were hopeful that a decision could reached today, but we will press on for justice for the Woll’s and will determine our next course of action at the pre-trial hearing,” Worthy said, per a press release.
Woll, 40, was found dead outside her home the morning of Oct. 21, 2023, with multiple stab wounds. Authorities believe she was stabbed inside her home in the early morning hours after returning from a wedding the night before and stumbled outside onto the sidewalk, where a neighbor found her hours later.
Jackson-Bolanos was arrested in November after authorities discovered he had been "prowling" and breaking into cars in multiple Detroit neighborhoods, including Lafayette Park, where Woll lived.
Over the course of the trial, which began on June 11, prosecutors presented evidence — including cell phone data records and surveillance video — that placed Jackson-Bolanos in her neighborhood the night she was killed. Testimony also revealed what is likely to be her blood was found on a jacket the defendant wore that night.
Jackson-Bolanos, however, has maintained that he did not kill Woll. He did testify that he was in the area the night she was killed. He said he went to check on her when he saw her lying on the sidewalk, touched her cheek and realized she was dead.
He testified that he initially lied to police about touching her because he was afraid he’d get in trouble for breaking into cars and stealing items throughout the night and also believed he would be accused of her murder.
Defense attorney Brian Brown argued Woll’s killing was a “crime of passion,” as she was stabbed eight times in the neck and head, not something that would be done by someone who breaks into cars.
He also pointed to the lack of evidence placing Jackson-Bolanos inside Woll’s home, as well as the lack of a murder weapon.
Brown highlighted several other potential suspects in the case, including at least two former boyfriends. Jeffrey Herbstman, who Woll had stopped dating in the summer of 2023, testified during trial that he told police the day after her murder that he was home the entire night. Prosecutors said phone records corroborated that story.
Herbstman, though, was arrested in early November 2023 after calling police in what he described as a “full-blown panic attack” and told them that he feared he killed Woll, despite having no recollection of doing so. He told police he was worried that if he did kill her during a mental crisis and didn’t remember doing it, he was worried he could do it to someone else.
He was later released from custody, as authorities found no evidence linking him to the murder. Jackson-Bolanos was eventually arrested after Detroit police found evidence that placed him near Woll's home around the time of the murder.
Because of her leadership role in the local Jewish community, as president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue, many had initially wondered if Woll's murder was motivated by antisemitism or sparked by the Israel-Hamas war that had broken out weeks earlier. Officials have said repeatedly since the early days of the investigation that no evidence has surfaced suggesting antisemitism played a role in the killing.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest updates as they become available. >>> LISTEN LIVE!
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