DETROIT (WXYZ) — Thursday saw more powerful testimony in a downtown Detroit courtroom as key evidence experts and the victim's best friend took the stand in the murder case of synagogue leader Samantha Woll.
Woll was stabbed to death outside her Lafayette Park home in October 2023. Michael Jackson Bolanos has been charged with her murder.
Thursday's testimony included Sherri Berger, a friend of Woll who testified she had no fears about her own safety prior to her death despite a recent breakup with her boyfriend. Berger testified Woll was feeling optimistic about both her personal and professional life.
Investigators also talked about how the crime scene was processed and how gruesome it was.
“There was so much blood we had to take pictures to scale that was able to show zoom in to scale,” testified FBI Special Agent Eli Bowers.
The FBI and Michigan State Police assisted Detroit police in gathering evidence.
“We observed foot impressions that were barefoot, not necessarily a shoe or anything like that,” testified Guy Nutter, a Forensic Expert with MSP. “There was blood in the entryway, hallway, living room, and lower floors.”
Testimony will continue Monday with the prosecution expected to continue calling witnesses and forensic experts.
Defense attorneys have suggested the crime scene was not processed correctly and that the prosecution is falling short of showing Bolanos is responsible for the crime.
Thursday's testimony also included an assistant medical examiner testifying about the numerous stab wounds that led to Woll's death, including some to her scalp. It also featured a state police lieutenant telling the court that finger and palm prints taken at the scene did not support a match with Bolanos.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Wednesday was an emotional day in court with video and picture evidence brought forward that shows just how gruesome Samantha Woll's murder was.
Woll, a Detroit synagogue leader, was found stabbed to death outside her Lafayette Park home in October 2023.
RELATED STORY: Detroit synagogue president found dead outside home; police to provide update Sunday
Michael Jackson-Bolanos is accused of murdering Woll.
The prosecution's first witness was Kevin Mull who lived across the street from Woll and was the one who found her dead in front of her house the morning of Oct. 21, 2023.
VIDEO: Prosecution gives opening statement in Samantha Woll murder trial
Mull testified, "The skin was blue, the feet were blue, I touched that part of the body to get some kind of reaction and, immediately, could tell how cold the body was."
Mull's wife Jessica Robinson was the second witness. It was she who called 911.
The prosecution played the audio recording of that phone call.
At one point Robinson said, "My husband was just out walking our dog and told me there was a person, potentially a body, on the sidewalk."
The third, fourth, and fifth witnesses were the two Detroit Police officers who were dispatched when Woll's body was found, and a forensic technician who worked the scene.
Their testimony brought forth gruesome evidence.
The prosecution played a body camera video from that morning that shows how Woll was found... deceased, in the fetal position, drenched in blood. Some of Woll's family left the courtroom for this.
One of the witnesses, former Detroit Police officer Preston Kue testified that beyond Woll's body, her front door was open, and much of the inside of her home was covered in blood.
During Detroit forensic technician Carrington Sheridan's testimony, the prosecution showed pictures of Woll's front hallway and living room. The living room was shown in disarray with food scattered, a laptop knocked over with blood on it, a vape-type pen and contact lenses found on the floor by pillows.
"There appeared to be items surrounding the couch that were consistent with there having been a possible struggle," testified Sheridan.
The defense throughout cross-examination seemingly worked to paint a picture of sloppy police work.
VIDEO: Defense gives opening statement in Samantha Woll murder trial
Defense Attorney Brian Brown asked the sixth witness Sgt. Daron Zhou why police working the crime scene took items out of Woll's purse and photographed them next to evidence lying out at the scene.
"Does it make sense to you to remove items from a bench in the entryway and take them out and place them in another location in the house next to items that were already there?" questioned Brown.
"No," answered Zhou.
The seventh and final witness brought forth Wednesday was FBI Special Agent Eli Bowers. His testimony will continue Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
