Testimony in Samantha Woll murder trial reveals ex-boyfriend’s retracted confession

The details and circumstances of what led up to the death of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll are getting murkier, as it was revealed during trial this week that her ex-boyfriend confessed to police he may have committed the brutal crime — later retracting his confession.

Woll, 40, was found on the sidewalk outside her Lafayette Park apartment by a neighbor the morning of Oct. 21, a few hours after police believe the violent stabbing attack occurred. Woll had attended a friend’s wedding the night before, with surveillance records obtained by investigators indicating she returned home around 12:30 a.m.

Woll’s ex, Jeffrey Herbstman, was arrested by Detroit police as a person of interest after he placed a 911 call on Nov. 7 admitting to killing her — though he said he didn’t remember committing the crime and told police he was in the midst of a “psychotic break.”

“I didn’t understand what was going on,” he said during his testimony on Tuesday. “I believe now it was the product of an adverse reaction to a medication that causes delusions.”

Herbstman, who suffers from depression, said he had recently increased the dose of his depression medication, leading to what he called “bizarre” side effects.

“I’m convinced that I may have murdered my girlfriend and I don’t remember it.”

— Jeffrey Herbstman, Samantha Woll’s ex-boyfriend

His frantic 911 call and police bodycam footage from the responding officers were both played for the jury, during which he told police “I’m convinced that I may have murdered my girlfriend and I don’t remember it,” adding “I have the motive and the opportunity, and I may be trying to outsmart people.”

Herbstman was released three days after his arrest with no charges filed.

The defendant in the case, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 28, of Detroit, was later arrested and charged with Woll’s murder after cell phone tower data and surveillance video placed him near the scene of the crime around the time investigators believe the murder occurred.

Defense attorney Brian Brown says the evidence against his client is circumstantial, however, prosecutors will also be presenting DNA evidence from microscopic blood droplets found on a jacket in the defendant’s girlfriend’s apartment, which investigators believe the suspect had been wearing and was a match for Woll’s blood.

Jackson-Bolanos faces charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, home invasion and lying to police officers in the case.

The trial will resume on Thursday.