She asked if he had hit a dog. Mr. Rowlands defense had weak closing arguments. Prosecutors, for reasons they did not disclose, did not seek the death penalty. Investigator Dawn Claycomb stood up from the stand and pulled Josephsons clothing out of a brown paper bag. She continued: Why do we take swabs and submit them to analysts if were going to stand here and try to convince yall that it doesnt matter what they say? February 8, 2022 by Juliane Cunha. Samantha Josephson had just finished a night celebrating her impending college graduation when she made one fatal mistake. Rowland was ultimately charged with murder, kidnapping, and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime. The jury took a little more . A man was arrested on murder and kidnapping charges, and an autopsy showed that she died from multiple sharp injuries. After opening statements from the prosecution and defense, witnesses began testimony in front of jurors Tuesday afternoon. Samantha Josephsons blood and DNA were found all over the car: the rear seat, the rear center console, the drivers side headrest, the gearshift, the seat backs, and the roof. WYFF4 reports Josephson was reported missing at approximately 1 p.m. by her roommates at The Hub apartment complex, as she never returned home and nobody could reach her by telephone. [24] Inside the car, police found a container of liquid bleach, germicidal wipes, and window cleaner. It was later determined Josephson was brutally murdered. 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Samantha's father, Seymour Josephson, shared his feelings about the anniversary of his daughter's death in a Facebook post. He assumed she had left her phone in the Uber car. Samantha Josephson's murder prompted several measures to increase awareness and safety when using rideshare services. Additionally, Josephson suffered a severed hyoid bone, as well as stab wounds to her face, neck, shoulder, torso, back, lung, leg, and feet. Anastasia Katz, American Renaissance, August 6, 2021. Tom Davis , Patch Staff Posted Mon, Apr 1, 2019 at 7:05 am ET | Updated Wed, Apr 3, 2019 . The act also introduced criminal charges and penalties for people who pose as rideshare drivers. But on cross-examination, Beaver told a defense attorney that he Googled hundreds of pictures of knives after the autopsy to figure out what could have caused the unique wounds and sent investigators a photo of a different-looking weapon. Dr. Thomas Beaver, a forensic pathologist, did the autopsy and found that Josephson had 120 stab wounds, mostly on the right side of her body. Cause of death revealed: A chilling video also shows when Samantha Josephson of New Jersey entered the car. He's been indicted for murdering Samantha Josephson,' Gipson said, according to NBC. [25] In addition to Josephsons murder, Rowland is alleged to have sold items that were stolen from a woman during a kidnapping in Columbia. [17] Specifically, the pathologist determined that she suffered approximately 120 separate stab wounds. Mr. Rowlands shirt was also found in the bag. Samantha L. Josephson ROBBINSVILLE Samantha L. Josephson, 21, passed away Friday March 29, 2019. Cell phone towers tracked both Josephsons and Mr. Rowlands phones, which traveled together for 20 minutes before her phone turned off at 2:33 a.m. Rowlands phone was traced to the Rosewood neighborhood of Columbia, where his sister lives. The murder of Samantha Josephson, a student at University of South Carolina, in Columbia, South Carolina, occurred on March 29, 2019. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. Posted at 09:48h in michael deluise matt leblanc by Ride-share vehicles must also have an identifying marker on the front windshield and back window. Note the emojis in this photo: a snowflake, a white bunny, and a target. Thats one of those questions Mr. Rowland would have to answer at some point in time.. TIMELINE: The death of UofSC student Samantha Josephson. Miss Josephsons iPhone was in the car and child safety locks were turned on. [39] The law was signed by Governor Roy Cooper in August 2019. Murder victim Samantha Josephson, 21, was stabbed around 120 times in her horrific March 2019 death, according to Monday testimony from a forensic pathologist. 9/18/19 Graphic Warning: Autopsy report shows victim stabbed twice, if not three times. Instead, I went to Colombia to gather her belongings. The sentencing of Nathaniel Rowland, 27, came the same day jurors found him guilty of the March 2019 murder of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina senior. Her work shirt was still wet from being washed, but she put it on. "There were a lot of injuries," Beaver said. 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. 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. Instead, the University of South Carolina student from Robbinsville, New Jersey, found herself trapped in the back seat because Rowland had the childproof lock on, investigators said. Samantha L. Josephson, 21, passed away Friday March 29, 2019. Court adjourned for the night around 5:45 p.m. Testimony continues at 9:30 a.m. Friday. So far as I can tell, Mr. Rowland had only one former felony arrest, for obtaining a signature or property under false pretenses. A brutal killer might well have had a long record of violent crimes. CASE BACKGROUND | Trial of man accused in UofSC student's kidnapping, death set to begin. The crossed-arms image in this post is the Wakanda Forever salute. Samantha Josephson - South Carolina student, 21, 'stabbed 100 times by killer after getting in car she thought was Uber' . [3][9], Samantha Lee Josephson was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Many posts include a white bunny, such as this selfie taken in his car. In the end, the defense called no witnesses, and Mr. Rowland did not testify. After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Nathaniel Rowland guilty of all three charges. Rowland also stabbed Josephson in her head with enough force that the knife went through her skull to her brain. Howard was Rowlands girlfriend at the time of the Josephsons murder. RMT29H4K - Columbia, South Carolina USA - March 31, 2019: A picture of Samantha Josephson sits on display at the community vigil held to mourn her death and rejoice her life. Police say Josephson, a 21-year-old senior at . She had gotten into a car thinking it was her Uber, police said. Their questioning has also shown that while Josephson appeared to fight her attackershe had several stab wounds that went all the way through her handsnone of Rowland's DNA was found on her or under her fingernails and no visible marks were found on Rowland after his arrest. Claycomb also held up the wedge sandals Josephson was wearing that night, saying the shoes werent on her feet, only held on by the ankle strap. Over and over and over, fighting for her life, locked in his car." "I close my eyes and I feel what she endured at [Rowland's} hands 120 times. The officer said, Get your hands out of your pockets. He has been convicted by the jury.. 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 . If were not supposed to pay attention to what the scientists tell us, then why are we sending stuff to science? No one mentioned his motive during the trial. John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and Courier For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below. Oscar Cainer tells all. The images are of black women, but there are suggestions that Mr. Rowland was interested in white women. It was almost as if the team had decided the case was hopeless, so the black woman might as well get some experience. He took 170 photos and 13 X-rays. She asked where her visor was, and he replied, In the country., He told her that it had blood on it. As reported by WYFF4, authorities noted the doors and windows on Rowland's vehicle were outfitted with child safety mechanisms, which likely made it impossible for anyone to exit the vehicle unless they were disengaged by the driver. (Columbia, South Carolina) The jury deliberated for one hour and seven minutes today before finding Rowland guilty on all charges of kidnapping, first degree murder and a weapons charge in connection to the March 29, 2019 death of Samantha Josephson. 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. Josephson got into the car, and it was the last time she was seen alive, the prosecutor said. . He was not charged with a hate crime, nor was he charged with rape. 5. The public defender, Ashley Goode, cross-examined Jazic asking if she documented any scratches on Rowland at the police station. [17] The car also contained Josephson's phone[25] as well as a large amount[16] of her blood, which was in the passenger seat and in the trunk. 20 years ago I could have never imagined getting into a car with a complete stranger who just so happened to own a vehicle and wanted to make cash on the side but wasn't regulated or licensed or Mr. Rowland said, I know Im innocent, but I guess what I know, what I think really doesnt matter. Born in Princeton, Samantha was a student at The University of South Carolina majoring in political science. Samantha Josephson, 21, made the fatal mistake of not checking the Uber car she was boarding. The man was almost immediately captured and identified as 24-year-old Nathaniel David Rowland. Although she had contacted Uber for a ride, asThe U.S. Sunreported, authorities determined Josephson got into the wrong car. He described parallel marks on the side of her face, noting they were post-mortem because they were yellow and waxy looking. A defensive wound to her palm that went completely through her hand. Slain University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson "was the love of my life," her boyfriend said at an emotional vigil on Tuesday night days after police said the college senior was . [10] She attended the University of South Carolina (USC), where she majored in political science. [12] She earned a full scholarship to Drexel University, as well as a partial scholarship to Rutgers[13] and aspired to practice international law. There was an envelope in the trash, with Josephsons blood on it, and these words, in Mr. Rowlands handwriting: Duck tape tape whole body/gloves/All black/Flip phone/Gasoline/Matches.. If he liked lit places, he could have found one with young blacks. Salant, Jonathan D. (December 23, 2022). Prosecutors did not choose to seek the death penalty. [33] The act requires ride-share vehicles to display license plate numbers on the front. Samantha Josephsons parents established the #WHATSMYNAME Foundation in honor of their daughter, to promote rideshare safety. There was also a spotted sheet in the bag with Josephsons DNA on it. Then Claycomb pulled out a lace bralette Josephson had on over her bra, that was also covered with a large amount of blood. I visualize the blood flowing from her body. I recall very well the reports of Samantha L. Josephson's murder. The toe straps were broken off, but her sandals were still attached to her ankles. Fourteen hours later, her body was found by hunters in a wooded area in Clarendon County. He testified that the average human has over a gallon of blood in his body, but Josephson had only two tablespoons, making it hard to get a large enough sample even for toxicology tests. Additionally, Josephsons DNA was collected from Rowlands fingernails. Mr. Rowland told her he did not want to put their daughter in the back seat because of the blood, but it was the only place the booster seat would go, so they strapped her in. As reported by WYFF4, Josephson got separated from her friends, and reportedly contacted Uber for a ride back to her apartment. 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. In the dark, she probably couldnt tell them apart. The Prestigious school where Princes William and Harry were educated is EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Prince William's potentially awkward visit to homelessness charity. . Boojee, for example, from bourgeois, means too white, rich, or upper class. [32] Josephson's parents have worked with lawmakers to advocate for policies that enhance safety for ride-share passengers Several laws have been enacted since Josephson's death. I try to move forward each day, but forever will be broken.. The doctor testified that a pattern of close stab wounds showed she had been stabbed very rapidly. Missing University of South Carolina Samantha Josephson's death confirmed by university Samantha Josephson, a University of South Carolina student who was reported missing, has died, the . The state also called Jack Jamison to testify. A forensic pathologist would say that there were 100 stab wounds, cuts, and abrasions, he promised jurors last week. The bag also contained blue surgical gloves, a shirt, and a pair of pants that had DNA from both people, and paper towels that tested positive for Josephsons blood. . He was heterosexual, she was attractive, and rape is almost obligatory in cases like this. But the killing of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old college student in South Carolina who was stabbed to death after getting into a car she mistook for her Uber last weekend, has brought national . They reportedly found Samantha Josephson's cell phone, towels, cleaning products, and "a large amount" of what was later confirmed to be Samantha Josephson's blood. Jazic said there were no scratches at all anywhere on Rowlands body. The jury took a little more than an hour to find Nathaniel Rowland guilty of the charges in the death of Samantha Josephson in Columbia, South Carolina in March 2019. [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. She tried to sow doubt by saying that Mr. Rowland had run from the police because the officer shouted, Are you crazy? and not because he was guilty. How fitting! In March 2019, Samantha Josephson, a white 21-year-old from New Jersey, was finishing her senior year at the University of South Carolina. It was largely ignored by national media; the New York Times never mentioned it, though the Washington Post and New York Post wrote about the trials conclusion. Im almost confused. The prosecution has introduced a mountain of other scientific evidence, from matching a footprint found on a rear window of Rowland's vehicle to Josephson, to cellphone data showing he was in the area where her body was found some 65 miles from where she was last seen in Columbia's Five Points entertainment district. 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