Man Arrested in SC College Student Death/Uber 'Mistake'

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

A man has been arrested over the murder and kidnap of a student who mistakenly got into his car thinking it was her Uber after her blood and cell phone were found in his vehicle, police say.

Samantha Josephson, 21, went missing in Columbia, South Carolina early on Friday morning. She was found dead by turkey hunters later that day after her body was dumped in a rural spot in nearby Claredon County.

Hours later Nathaniel David Rowland, 24, was arrested after being pulled over by officers driving the same car she had been last seen in.

He had been stopped by Columbia police at 3am Saturday two blocks from the Five Points area from where Samantha had gone missing. Police say Rowland tried to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended.

Samantha's blood and her cell phone were then found the black Chevy Impala, as well as bleach, wet wipes and germicide, according to police.

They said there was a child safety seat in the back of the car and the child safety locks were enabled meaning she would have not been able to escape.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6868023/University-South-Carolina-student-Samantha-Josephso...

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

software · ‎06-08-2016

This is unbelievably tragic, I've made many mistakes in my life but by the grace of God, I'm still here.

It's good her body was recovered, for the sake of her family.

@KingstonsMom wrote:
A man has been arrested over the murder and kidnap of a student who mistakenly got into his car thinking it was her Uber after her blood and cell phone were found in his vehicle, police say.

Samantha Josephson, 21, went missing in Columbia, South Carolina early on Friday morning. She was found dead by turkey hunters later that day after her body was dumped in a rural spot in nearby Claredon County.

Hours later Nathaniel David Rowland, 24, was arrested after being pulled over by officers driving the same car she had been last seen in.

He had been stopped by Columbia police at 3am Saturday two blocks from the Five Points area from where Samantha had gone missing. Police say Rowland tried to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended.

Samantha's blood and her cell phone were then found the black Chevy Impala, as well as bleach, wet wipes and germicide, according to police.

They said there was a child safety seat in the back of the car and the child safety locks were enabled meaning she would have not been able to escape.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6868023/University-South-Carolina-student-Samantha-Josephso...

meallen616 · ‎01-10-2013

So sad, so young and had so much to live for,

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

So glad they most likely found the murderer so soon.

I do not consider this ugly incident a blot for Uber as much for drunkenness beyond the extent of what should be routine safety precautions. (Assuming guilt) this guy could have pretended to be anyone from anywhere to achieve the result he wanted. He seems to have felt that bar area was a good hunting ground!

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

Glad they found him. Hopefully he spends a lot of time in prison.

itsmagic · ‎08-08-2011

This incident is so sad. A brief lapse in judgment on her part and a monster who took advantage of it. Now a beautiful girl with her whole life ahead of her is gone.

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

@GCR18 wrote:
Glad they found him. Hopefully he spends a lot of time in prison.

@GCR18

Actually he's facing the death penalty for 'Capital Murder', which South Carolina does do executions for.

There have been 43 executions there since 1985, all for murder.

https://statelaws.findlaw.com/south-carolina-law/south-carolina-capital-punishment-laws.html

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Is that one where the girl left a bar at 2am and hopped into the first black suv she saw?

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@millieshops wrote:
So glad they most likely found the murderer so soon.

I do not consider this ugly incident a blot for Uber as much for drunkenness beyond the extent of what should be routine safety precautions. (Assuming guilt) this guy could have pretended to be anyone from anywhere to achieve the result he wanted. He seems to have felt that bar area was a good hunting ground!

That's the sad part; it was totally avoidable. This is a death that should never have happened. He went out hunting for a victim and he knew exactly where to go and when. He probably only had to wait 10 minutes before his victim just hopped into the back seat car; alone, drunk and defenseless.