A man was sentenced to life in prison after killing a 21-year-old student who mistook his car for her Uber ride.
It took a little over an hour for a jury in South Carolina to convict Nathaniel Rowland of the kidnapping and murder of Samantha Josephson.
Ms. Josephson, of New Jersey, got into Rowland’s car in March 2019, thinking it was the Uber she’d booked to get her back to her apartment from the Five Points entertainment district of Columbia.
Prosecutors said Rowland drove around the block several times before stopping next to Ms. Josephson, who was waiting alone for her lift.
Once in the vehicle, Rowland turned on the child safety locks, which meant the doors could only be opened from the outside, effectively trapping Ms. Josephson.
Her body was found covered with 120 stab wounds, cuts, and other injuries that were dumped in a forest about 65 miles from town.
Ms. Josephson was to graduate from the University of South Carolina and study law on a full scholarship.
Her mother Marci Josephson spoke of her daughter at Rowland’s verdict: “Her dreams were my dreams and her death was my death. I close my eyes and feel what she had to endure in his hands.”
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Nathaniel Rowland did not testify and his attorney Alicia Goode did not call any witnesses
Rowland had insisted he was innocent, but District Judge Clifton Newman was not convinced, saying, “She obviously had an amazing fight against you and left enough mark for the jury to see what you did.”
Prosecution experts had linked Ms. Josephson’s blood to the inside of Rowland’s car and a two-bladed knife – the alleged murder weapon.
Her blood was found on detergents in the trash behind Rowland’s then girlfriend’s house, as well as on a sock and bandana that belonged to him.
A forensic scientist said DNA from Rowland’s fingernails matched the victim’s genetic material, and DNA from both was found on gloves.
Prosecutors also presented video footage of Rowland attempting to use Ms. Josephson’s debit card and sell her cell phone after she disappeared, as well as evidence of phone tracing.
Ms. Josephson and Rowland’s phones were tracked down and found traveling together for about 20 minutes before their phones were turned off, experts testified.
His phone stayed all the way to New Zion – his hometown and near where Ms. Josephsons was found.
Rowland did not testify and his lawyers did not call witnesses, but argued that although Ms. Josephson appeared to have fought him, none of his DNA was found on her body and he had no visible injuries from a fight when he was arrested.
Ms. Josephson’s death led to changes aimed at improving safety for those who use ride-hailing apps like Uber.
These included a state law requiring drivers to display license plates in front of their vehicles and criminal penalties for those who pretend to be drivers.
