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Samantha Josephson’s Background

Samantha Josephson was a young woman full of promise and ambition, born in Princeton, New Jersey, and raised in the quiet suburb of Robbinsville. As a child, she showed academic excellence and a strong sense of purpose, and after growing up, she pursued political science at the University of South Carolina. In 2019, Samantha was just months away from achieving her dream of graduating.

Samantha’s aspirations were grand. She had earned scholarship offers from Drexel University School of Law, Rutgers University, and other schools. She was determined to make a mark on the world through international law.

Even beyond academics, Samantha embraced life to its fullest, joining the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She took advantage of the opportunity to study abroad and spent time in Barcelona and Paris. Then, one day, one decision dimmed a once bright future forever.

Murder of Samantha Josephson

On the night of March 28th, 2019, in Columbia’s Five Points district, Samantha and her friends enjoyed the bustling atmosphere. It was late—around two in the morning on March 29th—when Samantha decided to leave the Bird Dog bar and head home. As she stood outside, waiting for her Uber, a sleek black Chevrolet Impala pulled up. To Samantha, it appeared to be her rideshare driver. Without hesitation, she stepped inside the vehicle.

Unbeknownst to her, the car belonged to Nathaniel Rowland, not her Uber driver. Once Samantha entered, Rowland activated the child locks, ensuring the doors could not be opened from the inside. What followed was a horrifying act of cruelty.

Armed with a two-bladed knife, Rowland unleashed a brutal attack, inflicting approximately 120 stab wounds. Samantha fought for her life, using her hands to shield herself, but the violence was unrelenting. A stab wound through her right hand bore evidence of her desperate but failed attempt to defend herself.

Samantha’s injuries were devastating. The blade penetrated her skull, severed her carotid artery, and inflicted deep wounds to her face, neck, shoulders, and torso. Each injury spoke of the rapid, relentless nature of the attack.

Samantha bled profusely, and within minutes, her life had ended. Rowland discarded her body in a remote field in New Zion, South Carolina, 65 miles from the city lights she had left behind just hours earlier.

THE INVESTIGATION

When Samantha’s roommates realized she hadn’t returned home, concern quickly turned to fear. They reported her missing, triggering a search that led to the discovery of her body fourteen hours later.

That’s when Turkey hunters stumbled upon the gruesome scene—a field in Clarendon County, where Samantha’s lifeless body bore the signs of the horrific violence she had endured.

Surveillance footage showed Samantha entering Rowland’s Chevrolet Impala. On March 30th, at around 3 am, officers spotted the vehicle in the Five Points area. When they attempted to stop Rowland, he fled on foot but was quickly apprehended.

Inside the car, investigators found damning evidence: Samantha’s phone, her blood in the passenger seat and trunk, and cleaning supplies, including bleach and germicidal wipes.

The case against Rowland grew stronger as more evidence emerged. A search of the trash behind his girlfriend’s residence uncovered a two-bladed knife and other items stained with Samantha’s blood. DNA evidence placed Samantha in the car. Her DNA under Rowland’s fingernails indicated he was in close contact with her.

Forensic analysis even identified Samantha’s bare footprint on the window of the vehicle, further confirming she fought for her life while in Rowland’s vehicle.

Nathaniel Rowland’s Trial

Rowland went to trial, facing charges of murder, kidnapping, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors called 31 witnesses to solidify its case. These included the turkey hunter who found Samantha’s body, investigators, and a cell phone store owner who testified that Rowland had tried to sell Samantha’s phone the day after her murder.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Rowland’s defense team offered no witnesses, and he chose not to testify.

The jury deliberated for barely an hour before delivering a guilty verdict. Rowland was convicted of kidnapping, murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 5 years.