'She Thought He Was An Uber Driver': Student Allegedly Killed After Getting Into Wrong Car

Samantha Josephson's father posted on Facebook that his daughter “is no longer with us but she will not be forgotten.”

April 01, 2019

Samantha Josephson [Columbia Police Department]

By: Catherine Townsend

COLUMBIA, SC —A 24-year-old man has been charged in connection with the slaying of a University of South Carolina student who police say got into his car after mistaking him for an Uber driver.

Investigators say 21-year-old Samantha Josephson got into a black Chevy Impala at around 2 A.M. on Friday in the 5 points section of Columbia. The alleged driver was Nathaniel David Rowland, Los Angeles's KABC-TV reported.

"We believe she may have mistakenly gotten into the Impala thinking it was an Uber ride," Columbia Police Chief William "Skip" Holbrook told the news station.

The next day, her roommate reported Josephson, a senior political science major from New Jersey who had been admitted to the Kline School of Law at Drexel University, missing. Josephson's college professor Daniella Jaimes said that Josephson dreamed of having a career in international law.

Mug shot of Nathaniel Rowland [Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center]

Police launched a manhunt in surrounding areas. Josephson’s body was found by turkey hunters in rural Clarendon County late yesterday afternoon.

Police apprehended Rowland on Saturday. Inside the vehicle, authorities say they found the victim's blood in the trunk and passenger compartment. They also reportedly found her cell phone, along with bleach and germicidal wipes.

Investigators have revealed that the child-safety locks appeared to be engaged, which could have prevented a passenger riding in the back of the car from exiting the vehicle.

"Our hearts are broken. There is nothing tougher than to stand before a family and explain how a loved one was murdered. It was gut-wrenching. This is personal to us," Holbrook said at a press conference.

Josephson's father posted on Facebook that his daughter "is no longer with us but she will not be forgotten."

Rowland is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. In addition to the murder and kidnapping charges, he has also been charged with failure to stop on police command and possession of less than an ounce of drugs.

Read more: KABC-TV

Next Up

The Twists And Turns Of The Infamous Susan Smith Case

On October 25, 1994, the 23-year-old South Carolina mother drowned her two young children.

Police Continue Search For Relisha Rudd, Who Was 8 When She Vanished In 2014

‘I have days when I think she's alive. I have days when I think she's no longer with us,’ says Henderson Long of D.C.’s Missing Voices.

Man Sentenced For Beating College Student To Death With A Piano Leg

On Sept. 20, 2004, Rebekah Gould, 22, answered the door to a man who asked to use her phone. A week later, her body was found dumped on the side of the road. Her case went cold for over a decade and a half.

Florida Woman Allegedly Murders Roommate, Pours Soda On Herself To Destroy Evidence

Nichole Maks, 35, allegedly murdered her 79-year-old roommate at the Daytona Beach home they shared and tried to cover up the evidence by pouring Diet Mountain Dew on herself.

Ohio Teenager Kills Boyfriend, Friend By Slamming Car Into Wall At 100 MPH

Mackenzie Shirilla, then 17, “had a mission, and she executed it with precision,” the judge said.

Who Killed Maria Hsiao? Art Student Celebrating Her 21st Birthday Shot Outside Nightclub

“Even someone with second or third-hand information about what happened may hold the missing piece of the puzzle,” Palo Alto police say.

Who Lured Trusting 10-Year-Old Amy Mihaljevic To Her Death In 1989?

The baffling murder mystery continues to haunt friends, family and police to this day.

5 Things You Need To Know About Susan Powell

In 2009, mother-of-two Susan Powell disappeared without a trace in West Valley City, Utah. Then in 2012, her husband Josh killed himself and their two sons after custody of the children was granted to Susan's parents.

Suspected Texas Serial Killer Taunted Police, May Have Committed Multiple Unsolved Murders, Cops Say

Before his May 2023 arrest, police say Raul Meza Jr. “was ready and prepared to kill again, and he was looking forward to it.”

Remembering Selena: ‘She Was Just An Amazing Soul’

The iconic musician was shot and killed by the president of her fan club almost three decades ago.