The tragic murder of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old student at the University of South Carolina, shocked the nation in 2019.
Samantha, who had a bright future ahead of her, was brutally killed after mistakenly getting into a car she thought was her Uber ride.
Her death sparked nationwide discussions about rideshare safety and eventually led to the passage of new laws aimed at protecting passengers.
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| Samantha Josephson |
Background
Samantha Josephson was born and raised in Robbinsville, New Jersey.
A bright and ambitious young woman, she attended the University of South Carolina, where she majored in political science.
Samantha was set to graduate in 2019 and had already been accepted to Drexel University School of Law with a full scholarship.
Her dreams of becoming an international lawyer were well within reach.
Additionally, she was beloved by friends, family, and her sorority sisters at Alpha Gamma Delta.
She had even studied abroad in Barcelona, embracing every opportunity to broaden her horizons.
Tragically, Samantha’s promising future was cut short just months before her graduation.
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| Samantha Josephson and her father |
How a Misunderstood Uber Ride Turned Deadly
On the night of March 29, 2019, Samantha went out with friends in the Five Points district of downtown Columbia, South Carolina.
As the night wound down, she decided to head home and ordered an Uber.
At around 2:00 AM, Samantha left the Bird Dog bar and waited for her ride.
Just minutes later, a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up beside her.
Unbeknownst to Samantha, the car was not her Uber.
The driver, Nathaniel Rowland, had ill intentions.
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| Samantha Josephson waiting for her uber |
Samantha got into the car, thinking it was the Uber she had ordered.
Once she got inside, she was trapped.
Rowland had activated the childproof locks, ensuring that Samantha could not escape.
What followed was a brutal and horrifying attack.
Rowland used a two-bladed knife to stab Samantha approximately 120 times.
The injuries were severe and inflicted with such force that some of the wounds went through her hand and skull.
The attack was relentless, and Samantha died within 10–20 minutes.
Rowland then disposed of her body in a field near New Zion, South Carolina, 65 miles from where she had entered the car.
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| Samantha Josephson about to enter the wrong Uber |
Investigation
The next day, Samantha’s roommates became concerned when she didn’t return home and reported her missing.
Fourteen hours after her kidnapping, turkey hunters discovered her body in a remote field.
The autopsy revealed the extent of the horrific violence she had suffered.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Nathaniel Rowland.
He had been spotted driving a car that matched the description of the one seen in the surveillance footage from that night.
When police pulled him over near the Five Points area, Rowland tried to flee on foot but was apprehended.
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| Nathaniel Rowland |
Inside his car, investigators found bleach, germicidal wipes, window cleaner, and Samantha’s blood.
Her phone was also found in the vehicle, along with a significant amount of her blood in the passenger seat and trunk.
The child locks had been activated, confirming suspicions that Samantha had been trapped inside the car.
A search of the trash behind Rowland’s girlfriend’s house yielded even more damning evidence.
Investigators found cleaning supplies and a two-bladed knife stained with Samantha’s blood.
Her footprints were identified on the car’s rear driver-side window, further linking him to the crime.
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| Nathaniel Rowland |
The Path to Justice for Samantha
Nathaniel Rowland was arrested and charged with kidnapping, murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime.
In addition to the charges related to Samantha’s murder, Rowland was linked to a separate kidnapping and robbery that occurred in October 2018.
Despite the strong evidence against him, Rowland pleaded not guilty.
Rowland’s trial began on July 20, 2021.
The prosecution presented 31 witnesses.
They included the turkey hunter who found Samantha’s body and a store owner who said Rowland tried to sell Samantha’s phone the day after her death
The defense did not call any witnesses, and Rowland chose not to testify.
After just over an hour of deliberation on July 27, 2021, the jury found Nathaniel Rowland guilty of all charges.
The judge, Clifton Newman, did not mince words during sentencing, labeling Rowland as “heartless” and describing the case as the “most severe” murder he had ever seen in court.
Rowland was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
You can watch excerpts of his sentencing in this video from Law & Crime, which includes analysis from the lawyers involved in the case.
The murder of Samantha Josephson is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers that can come with ridesharing.
Her death prompted the passage of "Sami’s Law" in New Jersey and later at the federal level.
This law aims to enhance safety measures for rideshare passengers.
While nothing can bring Samantha back, her legacy lives on through the changes in law that will hopefully prevent such tragedies from happening to others.
In another case, a man was sentenced to life for the murder of his daughter's boyfriend, whom he believed was abusing her.
Click here for more details.
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