A 21-year-old law student, just weeks away from graduating from university, decided to enjoy a night out with friends. After the gathering, she called for an Uber ride to take her back home. Unfortunately, she unknowingly entered a car driven by a malevolent individual who abducted her and drove her to her tragic end.
Surveillance footage captured the student, Samantha Josephson, entering a Chevrolet Impala around 2:10 am on March 29, 2019. Concerned when she didn’t return, her roommates at the University of South Carolina alerted the authorities. Fourteen hours later, hunters discovered her lifeless body in a field 65 miles away, with evidence of multiple stab wounds.
Subsequent examinations revealed that the severity of the assault led to rapid blood loss, causing her death within minutes. The police swiftly located and apprehended Nathaniel Rowland, who was driving the vehicle Samantha had entered. Incriminating evidence, including bloodstains and items with the victim’s blood, was found in his possession.
During the trial in 2021, where Rowland denied the charges, witnesses testified against him. His former girlfriend disclosed incriminating details such as his attempt to clean blood from his car and his possession of a blood-stained knife. The jury deliberated for a short time before finding Rowland guilty of kidnapping, murder, and weapon possession, resulting in a life sentence without parole.
Samantha’s mother, Marci Josephson, emotionally expressed the family’s anguish over the brutal loss, labeling Rowland as “pure evil.” In memory of Samantha, her parents established the What’s My Name Foundation to promote ride-share safety and assist charitable causes. Despite the tragedy, Samantha was posthumously awarded a political science degree and missed the opportunity to pursue a scholarship in international law at Drexel University.
