GUILTY SC - Samantha Josephson, 21, Columbia, thought she was getting into Uber, 29 Mar 2019 *Arrest* #2

[Herat]

IIRC, there was never any statement made that blood was found in the front passenger area. Please provide a link to that info if you have one. I believe the term 'passenger compartment' was used, and many people opined that term could refer to any interior part of the automobile, and not one specific area. Likewise, I do not believe that anything has been stated by authorities that would indicate that they believe a third person was present in the car the night Samantha was murdered (though some people have stated they think they see another person, most likely female, in the front seat, in the camera footage shown. I believe this is possibly a case of pareidolia, when someone sees something basically because they want to, or because someone suggests there is something there). JMO

Thanks for the new word, SteveP:

PAREIDOLIA

 

[girlhasnoname]

Oh. Good thought acutename! He's a thief and has pawned goods stolen in a violent assault before.

Perhaps the woman in the car at 3 am was an accomplice who was going to go to the apartment to scout it out first, without attracting as much notice as if a man showed up.

Articles have stated that "she is cooperating with LE" so that is a good possibility IMO.

 

[cass523]

Parents of slain N.J. student will discuss ride-sharing safety on ‘Good Morning America’

The parents of Samantha Josephson, the student who died last month after she was allegedly murdered by a man she mistook for her Uber driver, will appear on “Good Morning America” Monday.

Samantha’s father, Seymour Josephson, announced the appearance Sunday in a Facebook post. He wrote that he and his wife Marci would be discussing ride-sharing safety.

“Please tune in and pass the message on,” he wrote. He did not immediately return requests for comment.

Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old Robbinsville-native, was attending college in South Carolina when police say she mistakenly got into a stranger’s car early in the morning on March 29. Her body was found later that day, and 25-year-old Nathaniel David Rowland was later charged with stabbing her to death.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition to ask Uber and Lyft for increased security, and South Carolina lawmakers have proposed requiring ride-share drivers to have illuminated signs.

After the latter bill was proposed, Seymour Josephson wrote on Facebook, “Nice start.”

During a vigil for his daughter this month, he told the crowd, “I can’t tell you how painful this is ... Samantha was by herself. She had absolutely no chance.”


The show begins at 7 a.m. EST on ABC April 15th

Parents of slain N.J. student will discuss ride-sharing safety on ‘Good Morning America’

 

[DKMyers]

Thanks for the above comments on my "Afterthought". You all are correct. I was misled by an early impression related to the word, "passenger compartment". To me, what is being called the passenger compartment would normally be described as the interior of the car. The "interior of the car" would include the entire seating area, so the term "passenger compartment" struck me as a more specific designation, the front passenger area.

I'm going with the third party theory on this. Again, there is the anomaly of NR's unmarred complexion. I'm assuming that if he engaged Miss Josephson, she fought back and scratched his face. This does not appear in his mug shot.

But, of course, there are other possibilities (disabled victim with chemical or blow to the head), so the above is just a working theory, so to speak. We need not limit ourselves to what is recorded around her entry into the rear seat of NR's vehicle. I believe NR was the lone occupant when he arrived. After they left, Miss Josephson may have still believed she was in an Uber for a while. I say he stopped and picked up one of his friends, and that is how the third party entered the car.

Although no third party "theory of the crime" has been offered by the authorities, they are not saying anything about their study of the case. Much of what they already know or believe may not be known to the rest of us until the trial of NR, and that's going to take a while. In the meantime, NR himself may confess everything and name the other guy, if there was one. The only deal the prosecutor could offer, I assume, would be the state's not seeking death. He'll almost certainly receive a death sentence, if it is available, so NR would be receiving a true benefit from such a deal, and he might be motivated to betray an accomplice.

There's also the matter of the mystery passenger in NR's vehicle at the time of his arrest. We have no idea what she has told police, and unless we are blessed with a blabber mouth insider, that too will be a secret until trial. But I have to say, if a third party is named or discovered in review of evidence and interviews, that person would become subject to immediate arrest, and the whole case would have to be reformulated. At that point, we all would find out.

For anyone concerned that NR might get off easy if another person is convicted of the murder, rest easy. In NC, an accessory before the fact is subject to the same punishment as the principal, and I doubt SC is any different.

 

[ilovechili]

Thanks for the above comments on my "Afterthought". You all are correct. I was misled by an early impression related to the word, "passenger compartment". To me, what is being called the passenger compartment would normally be described as the interior of the car. The "interior of the car" would include the entire seating area, so the term "passenger compartment" struck me as a more specific designation, the front passenger area.

I'm going with the third party theory on this. Again, there is the anomaly of NR's unmarred complexion. I'm assuming that if he engaged Miss Josephson, she fought back and scratched his face. This does not appear in his mug shot.

But, of course, there are other possibilities (disabled victim with chemical or blow to the head), so the above is just a working theory, so to speak. We need not limit ourselves to what is recorded around her entry into the rear seat of NR's vehicle. I believe NR was the lone occupant when he arrived. After they left, Miss Josephson may have still believed she was in an Uber for a while. I say he stopped and picked up one of his friends, and that is how the third party entered the car.

Although no third party "theory of the crime" has been offered by the authorities, they are not saying anything about their study of the case. Much of what they already know or believe may not be known to the rest of us until the trial of NR, and that's going to take a while. In the meantime, NR himself may confess everything and name the other guy, if there was one. The only deal the prosecutor could offer, I assume, would be the state's not seeking death. He'll almost certainly receive a death sentence, if it is available, so NR would be receiving a true benefit from such a deal, and he might be motivated to betray an accomplice.

There's also the matter of the mystery passenger in NR's vehicle at the time of his arrest. We have no idea what she has told police, and unless we are blessed with a blabber mouth insider, that too will be a secret until trial. But I have to say, if a third party is named or discovered in review of evidence and interviews, that person would become subject to immediate arrest, and the whole case would have to be reformulated. At that point, we all would find out.

For anyone concerned that NR might get off easy if another person is convicted of the murder, rest easy. In NC, an accessory before the fact is subject to the same punishment as the principal, and I doubt SC is any different.

I too lean towards a third party although it is total speculation. My reasons include that he cannot drive and control her (once she realizes something is wrong that is, hard to say what point that occurred at) so he either has to probably stop to do so or has a third party. I also agree that third party may have been picked up after or may have been in the car when she was picked up.

The lack of scratches is definitely another reason.

And then based on a prior case, it seems like this is "their" method of operation possibly, two perps...

I also think he had at least three stops that night after she got in the car. First, he had to stop to get control of her or for a third person. He cannot drive that whatever it was, 60 or 70 miles with her free in the backseat and able to attack the driver.

He also had to have injured her or attacked her most likely in the vehicle or he went to a residence. I am basing this on the blood in the car of which we do not have total detail but it sounds like it was fairly ample and in more than a few areas including the trunk. Plus, once he dropped her body in the rural location, he did not put it back in the trunk or the car and get blood in the car then, that would make no sense. I therefore surmise the attack and likely death occurred prior to leaving her body in the rural location and even likely in Columbia.

Leaving her body is the 2nd stop and then he had to clean himself up (3rd stop or wherever he called home but chances are someone was at "home" or also resided at the home but perhaps that did not matter if it was the accomplice). I would assume though more likely he had to clean up and headed somewhere to do so, whether a residence in the rural location, an acquaintance's home, a residence he resided in in Columbia or somewhere else. We know so little, not even where he stayed for the most part and who else may have lived there.

That is at minimum--there are also likely clothes to get rid of that he was wearing and more. he at some point picked up bleach and wipes, etc. after the fact and after all of this was back in the same area the next a.m. Maybe LE has his clothing and more, it is hard to say. It is reasonable to think once he was arrested and the car tested for blood and it was hers that warrants were served on any residence(s), etc.

On the other hand, he could have somehow subdued her himself. He very well could have pulled into a residence garage or parked somewhere, she could not have gotten out with the child locks on and then, sorry to say it, but once parked, he would be able to turn around and knock her unconscious or even enter the back seat and control her and the assault likely also took place at this point wherever it was.

So I can see it with a third person and I could see it without one.

Perhaps if he was entering the back seat she had her feet towards him to kick at him and was reaching for the other door away from him and he started stabbing, she may have never had a chance to scratch his face from thereon out.

I hate typing these details because it just reminds me how tragic this was and what she likely went through.

Even though I can see either scenario, I took lean towards another party involved or present, at least part of the time.

jmo.

 

[Herat]

I go back and forth on this 3rd person stuff, too.

But one thing I am sure of: NR was laying in wait for a drunk college student, most likely female.

 

[Seattle1]

Fake Uber driver charged in Samantha Josephson's murder was linked to kidnapping five months prior | Daily Mail Online

Resurfaced warrants and police documents show he was arrested on October 19, 2018 in Richland County, South Carolina for allegedly trying to sell items stolen during another woman's kidnapping, according to WLTX.

 

[ilovechili]

I go back and forth on this 3rd person stuff, too.

But one thing I am sure of: NR was laying in wait for a drunk college student, most likely female.

Either that or had some inside knowledge too of a female who called for a cab, i.e., someone who let him know, someone who overheard her inside a club, he was in the club and overheard her (and went for his car), or someone seeing her get into the first incorrect one outside.. But yes, it seems like it was his motive for being around...

The 3rd person I think is a real possibility and may have even started in the clubs/bars. Who knows he could have then picked up that person down the block. There are a few possible scenarios. I think just for control a third person makes more sense.

But on the one person scenario here is a thought I had. Early on people said on his FB etc. he was really proud of "his" ride" and overboard so it sounded like. So he does his pickup of this woman with perhaps an intent to rob as in the other case. He comes to find out she has roommates and not a place of her own and not much on her to rob, except a phone, which he did have when they stopped him. She comes to realize she got in the wrong car. She starts kicking at his windows and everything else in an attempt to get out and attacking him from behind quite possibly. His rage goes through the roof, as she was trying to break his windows in his precious car and harm him (that would send him off no doubt), he pulls over somewhere secluded as quickly as possible and that is it. Sadly, she may not have had much of a chance to mark his face or do much more. He puts her in the trunk right there or drives out of town and stops the first chance he gets somewhere remote and dark and moves her to the trunk. He continues on to where she was found and disposes of her body or if he had only silenced her and incapacitated her, finishes the job and disposes of her body.

Just thoughts.

 

[Peppery]

I go back and forth on this 3rd person stuff, too.

But one thing I am sure of: NR was laying in wait for a drunk college student, most likely female.

I don’t think there was a 3rd party, but I absolutely agree he was hunting for trouble. I can’t say if rape, robbery or murder was his mind, but I believe he went there that night with ill intentions.

 

[DKMyers]

Either that or had some inside knowledge too of a female who called for a cab, i.e., someone who let him know, someone who overheard her inside a club, he was in the club and overheard her (and went for his car), or someone seeing her get into the first incorrect one outside.. But yes, it seems like it was his motive for being around...

The 3rd person I think is a real possibility and may have even started in the clubs/bars. Who knows he could have then picked up that person down the block. There are a few possible scenarios. I think just for control a third person makes more sense.

But on the one person scenario here is a thought I had. Early on people said on his FB etc. he was really proud of "his" ride" and overboard so it sounded like. So he does his pickup of this woman with perhaps an intent to rob as in the other case. He comes to find out she has roommates and not a place of her own and not much on her to rob, except a phone, which he did have when they stopped him. She comes to realize she got in the wrong car. She starts kicking at his windows and everything else in an attempt to get out and attacking him from behind quite possibly. His rage goes through the roof, as she was trying to break his windows in his precious car and harm him (that would send him off no doubt), he pulls over somewhere secluded as quickly as possible and that is it. Sadly, she may not have had much of a chance to mark his face or do much more. He puts her in the trunk right there or drives out of town and stops the first chance he gets somewhere remote and dark and moves her to the trunk. He continues on to where she was found and disposes of her body or if he had only silenced her and incapacitated her, finishes the job and disposes of her body.

Just thoughts.

You're on to something with his car pride. That is potentially the button that was pushed. Then when he stabbed her, she started leaking blood in his car, and that pissed him off even more.

On another note, Miss Josephson might have been saved had the cops done their job in the previous kidnapping NR was involved with. That's what I said, involved with. He pawned items from the crime within hours after the crime, and the cops determined he wasn't involved? I'd say that was sufficient probable cause to have had him arrested for kidnapping on the spot. Are these lazy cops, or what? Whoever handled that case should be held accountable for letting NR fall through the cracks. Okay, so the victim did not identify him as one of the kidnappers. He had her property too soon. He knew the kidnappers.

Sure, NR said "I didn't know the dude,...never seen him before..." Where I come from cops don't believe *advertiser censored* like that when it's coming from a person facing a very serious felony, like kidnapping. He had the property within hours of the crime. He was first tier. Let's follow this one around for a while, and see who he hangs out with.

Nah, seems like a pretty good kid, and we don't have the manpower for something like that. We got him a felony. I doubt he'll do anymore kidnapping, heh heh.

 

[TruthSeeker007]

Thanks for the above comments on my "Afterthought". You all are correct. I was misled by an early impression related to the word, "passenger compartment". To me, what is being called the passenger compartment would normally be described as the interior of the car. The "interior of the car" would include the entire seating area, so the term "passenger compartment" struck me as a more specific designation, the front passenger area.

I'm going with the third party theory on this. Again, there is the anomaly of NR's unmarred complexion. I'm assuming that if he engaged Miss Josephson, she fought back and scratched his face. This does not appear in his mug shot.

But, of course, there are other possibilities (disabled victim with chemical or blow to the head), so the above is just a working theory, so to speak. We need not limit ourselves to what is recorded around her entry into the rear seat of NR's vehicle. I believe NR was the lone occupant when he arrived. After they left, Miss Josephson may have still believed she was in an Uber for a while. I say he stopped and picked up one of his friends, and that is how the third party entered the car.

Although no third party "theory of the crime" has been offered by the authorities, they are not saying anything about their study of the case. Much of what they already know or believe may not be known to the rest of us until the trial of NR, and that's going to take a while. In the meantime, NR himself may confess everything and name the other guy, if there was one. The only deal the prosecutor could offer, I assume, would be the state's not seeking death. He'll almost certainly receive a death sentence, if it is available, so NR would be receiving a true benefit from such a deal, and he might be motivated to betray an accomplice.

There's also the matter of the mystery passenger in NR's vehicle at the time of his arrest. We have no idea what she has told police, and unless we are blessed with a blabber mouth insider, that too will be a secret until trial. But I have to say, if a third party is named or discovered in review of evidence and interviews, that person would become subject to immediate arrest, and the whole case would have to be reformulated. At that point, we all would find out.

For anyone concerned that NR might get off easy if another person is convicted of the murder, rest easy. In NC, an accessory before the fact is subject to the same punishment as the principal, and I doubt SC is any different.

From my understanding, the mugshot is not a current mugshot. That is the mugshot from the previous charge. (The PS4 charge, obtaining goods under false pretenses) If you pull up his current charges there is no current mugshot.

 

[Herat]

From my understanding, the mugshot is not a current mugshot. That is the mugshot from the previous charge. (The PS4 charge, obtaining goods under false pretenses) If you pull up his current charges there is no current mugshot.

Well. That is very interesting.

I wonder why no new mugshot? A facial wound or obvious scratches that might prejudice potential jurors? *got them from shaving?*

 

[tmar]

Great site. Thanks for all the insights. I have noted the following about the Josephson case.

1. The mug shot of NR does not reveal any injury or marks on his face and neck. Just as many others have speculated, the victim would have likely fought back IMO. I'm not saying this is absolute proof of anything. But it could could suggest NR's innocence, or it could indicate the active involvement of a third person with NR. Other support of the 3rd person theory comes from his previous involvement in a crime of kidnapping that was carried out by two other persons (his involvement was pawning victim's property after the fact). He knows other criminals.

2. Much has been made of NR's return to the Five Point area, where he was stopped and detained by police the day following the abduction and murder. Although this could very well indicate a plan to commit the same or a similar crime as the one he believed he had succeeded in pulling off earlier, it may also be explained as the criminal's irresistible urge to return to the scene of the crime. Dostoyevsky described this phenomenon back in the mid 1800's in the novel, "Crime and Punishment". This phenomenon has been known and observed for many years. Only saying, it could be nothing more than that. That, of course, is indicative of his guilt as much as the other explanations given.

3. Many have mentioned NR's child and the child's mother. He has never been described as a father, as far a I have seen. People are making this assumption due to the presence of a child seat in the car. Earlier in the case, it was mentioned that his FB entries have referenced a child, but this was a niece or nephew, not his own child.

4. Victim found fully clothed? From what I have seen and heard on this case, I believe the victim's body was fully clothed when found. This inference is made from the fact that the body was readily identified as being the victim by the matching of the clothing on the body found with that of clothing the victim was known to have been wearing. This is strong evidence in my mind that there was not a rape. Granting there is still much to be revealed about the condition of the body found, but if she was wearing her bottoms, it is unlikely she had been re-clothed, so to speak.

I'm so grateful for the discovery of the body, a most unlikely event given the circumstances.

Welcome DKMyers.
You're a relative newbie here.
A very intelligent post, with a great deal of thought.
Thanks.
I agree, the fact SJ was clothed, perhaps indicates there was no rape.
MOO.

 

[ilovechili]

You're on to something with his car pride. That is potentially the button that was pushed. Then when he stabbed her, she started leaking blood in his car, and that pissed him off even more.

On another note, Miss Josephson might have been saved had the cops done their job in the previous kidnapping NR was involved with. That's what I said, involved with. He pawned items from the crime within hours after the crime, and the cops determined he wasn't involved? I'd say that was sufficient probable cause to have had him arrested for kidnapping on the spot. Are these lazy cops, or what? Whoever handled that case should be held accountable for letting NR fall through the cracks. Okay, so the victim did not identify him as one of the kidnappers. He had her property too soon. He knew the kidnappers.

Sure, NR said "I didn't know the dude,...never seen him before..." Where I come from cops don't believe **** like that when it's coming from a person facing a very serious felony, like kidnapping. He had the property within hours of the crime. He was first tier. Let's follow this one around for a while, and see who he hangs out with.

Nah, seems like a pretty good kid, and we don't have the manpower for something like that. We got him a felony. I doubt he'll do anymore kidnapping, heh heh.

Great points.

I know nothing about this LE agency but I will say it is getting to be way too common of a story where due diligence maybe because of manpower and budgets does not occur. Let's add plea bargains and repeat offenders who should be off of the streets but are not until they kill someone and nowadays one cannot even count on that being a life sentence.

I am one as well that thinks statistics play a part sometimes--for instance if murder is pled down to manslaughter then one can say they had that many fewer murders in their jurisdiction. If assault is pled down to a disorderly conduct, one can say less serious crimes or assaults occurred. It is sad but politics are certainly a part sometimes.

And yes, the blood in the car would have probably further enraged him.

I am known to not always go the Occam's Razor/simplest theory route but in this case, I find it highly likely. I think it was also you that said you were guessing based on a remark about her clothing that she was quite possibly not assaulted sexually. This theory fits that too--no house of hers to go rob, no major assets on her other than a phone and when she became upset and likely was damaging the interior of his precious car to get out, all of those things were the catalyst that sent him over the edge. This negates the 3rd person and he also would not have accounted for the fact with the lack of one, there would be no control over her and the damage she could do until he could stop and get control of her.

A very likely possibility I think--at least based on the few facts we know anyhow.

 

[Tranquileyes]

First time chiming in here..

I'm just speculating the motive for the crime. Since a recent crime involvement has come to light concerning a kidnapping and robbery, I believe that was his motive in this case as well. If his intent was simply to kill or sexually assault (which others on here have logically assumed did not happen), why would he still have her phone when the police found him? His initial plans were obviously derailed by SJ's resistance. Perhaps, he attempted to do the robbery on his own this time without an accomplice like he did in October, or maybe he did not actually plan to rob someone in that manner that night and saw SJ waiting and the opportunity presented itself. SJ could easily have said, "this isn't my Uber" and walked away or back in the building. There were many people around. I don't think NR would have forced her in front of all those witnesses. I believe NR took a chance, and his chance worked out as SJ readily got in the vehicle. Maybe NR didn't really think through how he would subdue her, etc. Maybe NR thought she would just comply and provide her address or bank info like the last woman (even though she didn't readily comply only because she was forced to by another person). As others have speculated, NR could have become angry at SJ damaging the car and proceeded to commit murder. Him keeping the phone would seem to be an attempt to make everything worth it since his initial motive was to rob. Otherwise, dumping the phone along with anything linking him to the murder would have been the smarter choice.

MOO

 

[wary]

@Tranquileyes “As others have speculated, NR could have become angry at SJ damaging the car and proceeded to commit murder”

As far as I know, we don’t have any reason to think that SJ was damaging the car. (Except for messing it up with her blood, of course. /sarcasm warning.)

Seriously, has there been any evidence of anything like that?

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 14, 2019
New info about the man arrested for killing a student who mistook his car for an Uber

APR 15, 2019
Parents of student slain after mistaking car for Uber speak out

 

[girlhasnoname]

Maybe I'm confused here.........
Samantha is the only victim here. Why are we trying to explain or blame anyone or anything other than NR for Samantha's murder?

It's the state's fault that NR, having chosen to participate in a previous robbery, but because it might have been his 1st offense and the victim was unwilling to testify, his sentence was reduced and he was free to roam the streets to do it again?

And, if Samantha hadn't mistakenly gotten into his car to begin with none of this wouldn't have happened. She put the idea of assault and robbery into his head by jumping into the wrong car?

And because she did, it was somehow Samantha's fault that he drove off with her in his (parent's) car instead of asking her to get out??

But hey, it's okay to then attempt to assault/rob or whatever he did and when she became frantic and kicked, punched, beat at whatever him or his prized car she could in defense of her life SR angered NR to a point that forced him to escalate to murder??? Hardly.

NR was out late at night cruising a well known college party area. He noticed SR standing at a very public ride share spot, a young woman who was alone and vulnerable and HE MADE THE CHOICE to pull in, let her in the car, and drive off with her. At some point driving approx. 65 miles away from that location he assaulted, murdered and dumped her body in an obscure field close to where he used to live. The state, the previous victim, Samantha nor anyone else is responsible for the choices NR made that night. He will now face the consequences of those choices. Thankfully.

IMO

 

[Mert]

@Tranquileyes “As others have speculated, NR could have become angry at SJ damaging the car and proceeded to commit murder”

As far as I know, we don’t have any reason to think that SJ was damaging the car. (Except for messing it up with her blood, of course. /sarcasm warning.)

Seriously, has there been any evidence of anything like that?

I think several people speculated earlier in the thread after seeing reports of injuries to the victim. Since the car was said to have child locks, it was thought she may have put up a fight to escape, in turn, damaging the interior. I believe it is all theories.

 

[Peppery]

APR 14, 2019
New info about the man arrested for killing a student who mistook his car for an Uber

APR 15, 2019
Parents of student slain after mistaking car for Uber speak out

Can anyone give a summary? Can’t watch videos right now...