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The Free Press Investigates

Spiral | 3. Motive and Opportunity

The Free Press Investigates

The Free Press

Society & Culture

4.716K Ratings

🗓️ 28 October 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Samantha Woll’s ex-boyfriend calls 911 in a panic. He tells the police he thinks he might have killed her. When they bring him in for questioning, he explains he was having a drug-induced temporary break. --- Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press to binge the full series today, and with reduced ads. Click here to subscribe. ---- Host: Frannie Block Producer: Poppy Damon Executive Editor: Emily Yoffe --- Contact us at: spiral@thefp.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Previously on Spiral.

0:03.8

The accused in this case is Michael Manuel Jackson Bolanos.

0:07.2

That announcement coming less than 15 minutes ago,

0:09.7

wrapping up a 53-day investigation into her murder.

0:13.3

No hate crime whatsoever, according to investigators.

0:15.3

There's been a lot of pressure on police to bring forward what they had on this case

0:19.1

to put the bed any situation.

0:21.1

It would have been a hate crime because of Ms. Wall's position as a prominent Jewish leader in our community.

0:27.2

I also think that her notoriety, her role in the community brought a lot of different agencies in,

0:32.9

and they kind of rushed it versus, you know, taking a step back and just really, really diving

0:38.3

deep into what really happened. Mr. Brown's client had a coat and that coat had her blood on it.

0:45.1

And I think that is something that we should all focus on.

0:48.7

I guess I can't say for sure who did it, but I can for sure tell you who didn't do it.

1:09.2

It's November 7, 2023 in a parking lot in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1:13.9

And Jeffrey Herbsman is laying on the ground next to his car. It's nighttime, completely dark outside.

1:17.3

The police have just arrived, and he's telling the cops,

1:21.1

he thinks he might have killed his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Wall.

1:25.4

But he can't remember.

1:27.0

Do you have any weapons or anything on you?

1:28.6

No.

1:29.1

Okay, there's a knife in the car.

1:31.6

Okay.

...

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