Michael Jackson-Bolanos in police interview: Admits to breaking into cars, says he didn't kill Samantha Woll

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the man accused of the fatal stabbing of local Jewish leader Samantha Woll, has adamantly declared his innocence in a Detroit courtroom.

"I don't know this woman. I don't know anything about the woman," Jackson-Bolanos said during his police interrogation, which was shown in court on Monday during his trial. "I was in the wrong place, wrong time."

Jackson-Bolanos is charged with the murder of Woll, who was found dead outside her Detroit home on Joliet Place in October 2023. Police believe that Woll was stabbed inside her condo before managing to get outside where she was eventually found.

Woll's ex-boyfriend was first arrested after confessing to her murder. However, he recanted that confession, which he attributed to making because of the depression medication he was taking. That's when Jackson-Bolanos was taken into custody.

Jackson-Bolanos admitted that he was in the area at the time of Woll's murder but said he had nothing to do with it. He maintained his innocence regarding home invasions or his involvement in Woll's death.

"I didn’t go in no homes," Jackson-Bolanos said. "This whole night I just went walking around. …I didn’t see nothing out of the norm, didn’t hear nothing."

He admitted that he fled ran from the area when he saw a security officer that night, but he did not specify why.

"I been in the area. You got my phone – cell phone tower – something happened. I don’t know what happened. I was only checking cars and taking pictures of cars, that’s it," he explained.

Evidence presented against Jackson-Bolanos included a photo of his black North Face jacket, on which investigators allege Woll's blood was found.

A witness for the defense, Jackson-Bolanos' girlfriend at the time of the incident, took the stand and was questioned about his appearance following the crime.

"Did he appear to you to be covered in blood?" she was asked. 

"Not at all," the ex-girlfriend said.

She added that nothing seemed different about him that night.

Additionally, she was asked about any potential marks he might have had, and she said that he didn't have any scratches or marks on him.

Jackson-Bolanos' trial resumes Tuesday morning in Wayne County. FOX 2 will stream Tuesday's testimony starting at 9 a.m.