The Tragic Murder Of Samantha Josephson Explained. I was planning my trip to Columbia in 2019 to watch my daughter graduate from college. Her shirt, which was orange, was so soaked with blood that it looked red. [26][18], On July 27, 2021, Rowland was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering Josephson and of possessing a weapon during a violent crime after the jury deliberated for a little over an hour. Samantha Josephson's murder prompted several measures to increase awareness and safety when using rideshare services. Prosecutors said during opening statements that Rowland kept Josephson in his car for hours as he drove more than 65 miles, before killing her and dumping her body in the woods near his family's home. Prosecutors allege that Josephson, a University of South Carolina senior from New Jersey, stepped into the defendants black Chevy Impala outside of a bar on March 29, 2019 thinking the vehicle was her Uber. The 21-year-old college senior was trapped by the vehicle's child safety locks. A phone tech from Cellular City testified that a man came to his shop that night, wanting to sell a rose gold iPhone 7 Plus for $300. Phil Murphy also signed legislation, which is referred to as "Sami's Law," that requires rideshare drivers to provide and display identification information. Her killer got to her first. In May 2019, legislators in South Carolina passed the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act. A 21-year-old University of South Carolina student killed after mistaking a man's car for an Uber was stabbed up to 120 times, the pathologist who testified Monday in court said.. Those performing Samantha Josephson's autopsy found even a routine test challenging, as there was so little blood left in her body during the examination, said Dr. Thomas Beaver. He testified that Rowland came into his shop the morning that Josephson was reported missing and tried to sell her cellphone. On the evening of March 28, 2019, 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson was out with her friends in the Five Points village in Columbia, South Carolina. After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Nathaniel Rowland guilty of all three charges. 'As she stood there waiting for that Uber, he had his eyes firmly transfixed on her,' Gipson said. SLED agent Delila Jazic testified that she obtained a search warrant for Maria Howards home. Miss Howard drove while Mr. Rowland sat in the passenger seat, cleaning a multi-tool that had two knife blades. Rowland was charged with obtaining goods under false premises. [38] The act requires ride-share drivers to display a printed license plate number on the front of their vehicles and, as of July 1, 2020, to have illuminated signs on their vehicles. [5] On July 27, the jury found Rowland guilty of Josephson's kidnapping and murder and the judge sentenced him to life in prison. The Prestigious school where Princes William and Harry were educated is EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Prince William's potentially awkward visit to homelessness charity. [emailprotected]. Born in Princeton, Samantha was a student at The University of South Carolina majoring in political science. (There were scratches on his jacket that showed Josephson had been clawing at him as she tried to fight him off.) Miss Howard was annoyed that Mr. Rowland was gone that morning, because she had given him her work shirt to launder, and had left her McDonalds visor in the back seat of his car. When she asked why, he said, Mind your business.. Markings on her face were consistent with being dragged. 2023 Court TV Media LLC, part of The E.W. Many posts include a white bunny, such as this selfie taken in his car. Then why do we do it? Tragically, Samantha Josephson, will never be able to ask herself those questions, again, as the University of South Caroline student was murdered, allegedly by the driver of a car she mistook for . Samantha Josephson was born in Princeton, but grew up in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Samantha Josephson clbrait la fin prochaine de ses tudes universitaire avec des amis lorsqu'elle a tragiquement perdu la vie. Josephson, who was a senior in college at the time of her death,[11] planned on graduating in 2019, and attending Drexel University School of Law. About four hours later, at 2 a.m. on Saturday, police saw a black Chevrolet Impala matching the description of the car in the Five Points area, near where Samantha's disappeared. Samantha Josephson, 21, a student at the University of South Carolina, called an Uber around 2 a.m. Friday in Columbia, and was last seen getting into a black Chevy Impala, said Columbia Police . . After she came home from work, Miss Howard saw Mr. Rowland wearing blue surgical gloves and cleaning his car with wipes. Here you see #SamanthaJosephson in orange, waiting for her Uber. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Why did Nathaniel Rowland kill Samantha Josephson? #FakeUberMurderTrial The defendants DNA was not found under the victims fingernails HOWEVER we just learned that the victims DNA was found under the defendants fingernails. Samantha Josephsons DNA was found on his bandana, shoes, and socks, and under his fingernails. Ride-share vehicles must also have an identifying marker on the front windshield and back window. A man was arrested on murder and kidnapping charges, and an autopsy showed that she died from multiple sharp injuries. In March 2019, Samantha Josephson, a white 21-year-old from New Jersey, was finishing her senior year at the University of South Carolina. This bone sits at the back of the tongue. Following Samantha's death, South Carolina lawmakers introduced . The Tragic Murder Of Samantha Josephson Explained. The state announced Monday afternoon that it . The presiding judge, Clifton Newman, was black, and several of the jurors were black. The act also introduced criminal charges and penalties for people who pose as rideshare drivers. [44] It requires ride-share vehicles to have front license plates and illuminated windshield signs along with scannable or quick-response codes on the sides. Forensic investigators determined that she was killed in the car. The details of the horrifying December assault come days after police in South Carolina announced that 21-year-old Samantha Josephson was found dead after getting into a car she may have thought was an Uber she ordered. Decide for yourself what the target means. The double-bladed multi-tool had both Mr. Rowlands and Samantha Josephsons DNA on it. Pictured, Nathaniel David Rowland and USC student, Samantha Josephson Nathaniel David Rowland arrested in murder & kidnapping of USC student, Samantha Josephson who mistakenly got in car thinking it was her Uber pickup.. A man has been arrested over the murder and kidnap of a University of South Carolina student who mistakenly got into his car thinking it was her Uber after the missing woman . [40], Additional legislation aimed at protecting ride-share users is pending. [48][49] It was signed into law on January 5, 2023. He was heterosexual, she was attractive, and rape is almost obligatory in cases like this. Beaver said almost all the stab wounds were to Josephson's head, arms, chest and back, adding several of the wounds would have penetrated into her brain or neck and been fatal. Samantha also got a scholarship to study law at Drexel . [50], Josephson was awarded a posthumous political science degree in May 2019 at what would have been her graduation ceremony. As her boyfriend drove her to work, Miss Howard noticed dried blood on the dashboard and the back seat. Was Mr. Rowland pretending to be an Uber driver? Forensic pathologist Thomas Beaver testified in the trial of Nathaniel Rowland, the man charged with murder in the death of University of South Carolina stud. It is being streamed across the country by Court TV. He was caught[23] and was arrested at 3:00 am on March 30. Many stab wounds to her ear, lower back, side, arms, elbows, and leg, including a 7cm deep wound on her thigh, which was the deepest. The U.S. Sun reports authorities later found a knife, which possibly belonged to Rowland, covered in Samantha Josephson's blood. When examining the victim's back, she observed six puncture marks and explains why she feels the victim was stabbed at least twice, if not three times. [17], According to police, the area where Josephson's body was located is where Rowland recently resided. [6][7][8], The killing attracted national attention and led to discussion about the dangers of ridesharing and the importance of ensuring that a rideshare car is being driven by a registered driver prior to entering. The full video of the mornings proceedings can be watched here: To catch up on what happened in court Thursday afternoon, here is the full video: Each day, look for a new story with the live stream of the trial on wistv.com or the WIS News app. Evidence includes surveillance camera footage of Josephson entering Rowland's car. A defensive wound to her palm that went completely through her hand. [15][7][16], Using a two-bladed knife, Rowland proceeded to inflict roughly 120 stab wounds upon Josephson. She was stabbed with both the double and single blades. Josephsons roommates called him the next morning, saying she had not come home, so he drove two hours to Columbia to look for her. She reminded the jury that when Mr. Rowland was arrested, he had no injuries, and a scraping from under Josephsons fingernail did not show Mr. Rowlandss DNA, which suggested she did not fight back. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. [52], The Township of Robbinsville built a patio and rock garden, dedicating the landmarks to Josephson.[32]. He was not willing to pay $300, so he gave it back. After opening statements from the prosecution and defense, witnesses began testimony in front of jurors Tuesday afternoon. [22], Nathaniel Rowland was seen by police driving a car that matched the description of the one Josephson was seen entering in the surveillance video. The public defender, Ashley Goode, cross-examined Jazic asking if she documented any scratches on Rowland at the police station. Click or tap here to report it. [17][9][18][19][20] Investigators believe Rowland dragged Josephsons body to the New Zion field where she would later be discovered. Beaver testified he was certain the knife with two blades taken from the trash can of Rowland's girlfriend was used to kill Josephson. Scripps When examining the victim's back, she observed six puncture marks and explains why she feels the victim was stabbed at least twice, if not three times. [35][36], Also in June 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Sami's Law, which requires more identification on ride-share vehicles. The victim's family in the courtroom froze when one investigator with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) held up . . He's been indicted for murdering Samantha Josephson,' Gipson said, according to NBC. Company. He also read off a few texts from Howards phone to Rowland. Osharmar Williams, owner of Cellular City, also took the stand Thursday. "It gets to a point where it really doesn't add much to the report," said Beaver, a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina. The officer asked him to get out and he complied, but kept his hands in his pockets. The death of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson, who mistook her alleged killer for an Uber driver, has turned a national spotlight on ride-hailing safety and led to some changes, including more prominent displays of drivers license plates. She is survived by her parents Seymour and Marci Josephson, a sister Sydney Josephson, and maternal grandmother Roberta Hausman. Every speck of evidence led to you. The judge added that this was the most severe murder he had seen, and that leniency was not part of his DNA. Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday. KTLA 5 reports said the wounds were so serious that only 1.3 tablespoons of blood were left in her body when she was found. [27] According to Richland County deputies, hours after the alleged kidnapping Rowland sold some of the items stolen from the woman, including the Playstation 4, at a pawn shop. "There were a lot of injuries," Beaver said. An Uber customer gets a photo of his driver, but Josephsons driver that night was a black man of the same build as the killer. Murder victim Samantha Josephson, 21, was stabbed around 120 times in her horrific March 2019 death, according to Monday testimony from a forensic pathologist. As the night ended, she ordered an Uber to take her home . Josephson was out with her friends in Columbia's Five Points entertainment district onMarch 29, 2019, when she allegedly entered Rowland's car thinking he was an Uber driver. Mr. Rowlands defense had weak closing arguments. Josephson's parents also established the What's My Name foundation, which raises awareness about rideshare safety and encourages providers to enact policies that help riders ensure they are getting into the right car. A stab wound behind her ear, through her skull, and into her brain. The victims family in the courtroom froze when one investigator with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) held up clothing worn by Josephson on the night she was brutally murdered. Her blood was also found on Mr. Rowlands daughters shoes. In March 2019, Samantha Josephson, a white 21-year-old from New Jersey, was finishing her senior year at the University of South Carolina. Rowland, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has maintained his innocence. Additionally, it provides $500,000 in grants for colleges to educate students about ride-share safety and creates a study commission to examine ways to improve ride-share safety. Following his arrest, authorities reportedly made a number of gruesome discoveries inside the vehicle. When she learned she had been accepted to Drexel Law School on a full scholarship, she decided to celebrate at the Bird Dog, a pub in the Five Points . 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