Found Deceased SC - Samantha Josephson, 21, Columbia, 29 March 2019 *Arrest*

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Heather30024 said:
It does appear that he got her attention in some form while he was sitting at the "intersection" because at first her back is turned to him, then she suddenly turns to look at the car, then he pulls around. My guess is he saw her waiting and asked, "Did you call Uber?" and she acknowledged and that's why she walked right up to the car. After my abduction I did quite a bit of research on "fake Ubers" and that's what they do -- look for people standing near the curb outside restaurants and bars. There were two guys and a girl together waiting for their Uber outside of a restaurant here in Atlanta and a fake Uber picked them up. Then the driver said he had to stop on the way to pick up a friend. That friend then held them all at gunpoint while they were all taken to another location and robbed.
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While I recognize there are fallibilities in every situation, using Uber doesn't have to be unsafe. There are many measures put in place to guarantee the driver is the one who was called, the ability to check his/her ratings, real time monitoring of the vehicle as it approaches the location set by you, etc. For example, when you call for a pickup, you are provided with car type, driver's name and license plate of the car. These can all be checked before entering the vehicle. Also, the driver confirms your name when you enter the car to be sure he/she has the correct person. I wonder if he knew enough to verify her name and /or if she would have noticed if he didn't.

Tracking in realtime, to me, distinguishes also between a car that is literally right next to you and pulls over in seconds, with a car that is still minutes away. All JMO, but details are from regular Uber users. (Myself included, though not on a regular basis).
 
For those familiar with FivePoints, approximately how many blocks until he could pull over somewhere away from crowds? In other words, how populated is that part of town at that time of night? I am envisioning a scenario where she might have noticed her ride was cancelled on the app and he said, "That's strange. Show me your phone" and taken the phone from her.
 
Herat said:
I don't recall him being called "privileged" and sure don't see him this way. I see a kid from a real backwater with no real prospects in life who is devoted to his $28K car and is obsessed with college kids, specifically likely white college coeds.

For a guy so devoted to basketball in high school, he is spending a lot of time during the best part of March Madness driving around in the dark lurking for victims......

And I think this really is a psychological compulsion. The car was still dirty from her blood and he was right back in the same area 24 hours later. He had only made what sounds like feeble attempts to clean it. Not like he spent 4 hours at a car wash or something
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Like we both posted upthread, he’s likely fought his desires until he could not any longer do so.
I’m almost certain (in my mind) we will hear another young woman say he offered her a ride or stalked her in some manner. Who knows, he may end up linked to unsolved crimes.
Kinda surprising he didn’t try to do a better cleanup of his death sedan.
 
zecats said:
While I recognize there are fallibilities in every situation, using Uber doesn't have to be unsafe. There are many measures put in place to guarantee the driver is the one who was called, the ability to check his/her ratings, real time monitoring of the vehicle as it approaches the location set by you, etc. For example, when you call for a pickup, you are provided with car type, driver's name and license plate of the car. These can all be checked before entering the vehicle. Also, the driver confirms your name when you enter the car to be sure he/she has the correct person. I wonder if he knew enough to verify her name and /or if she would have noticed if he didn't.

Tracking in realtime, to me, distinguishes also between a car that is literally right next to you and pulls over in seconds, with a car that is still minutes away. All JMO, but details are from regular Uber users. (Myself included, though not on a regular basis).
Click to expand...

I agree but the thing for me is everyone has a first time. Someone can drive an Uber for years, suddenly going criminal. Thinking of the Kalamazoo driver.....
Again, this needs to be a wake up call for all of us calling for a car.

ETA: of course this perp was not an Uber driver.
 
Also, one time when using Uber in an urban situation, the car was not able to come down the oneway street to our pick up location. We could see the vehicle on the map and also literally. The point is it was not right in front of us either way. We had to walk to the car and wave the driver down.

In no way is any of what I say here or in my post above meant to infer that Samantha did anything to cause this nor did she deserve what happened to her. This creep know what he was doing, IMO. Consider my comment above as a means of staying safe if and when using ride share. To know what measure you can take to ensure your own safety is your best defense.
 
Herat said:
I think he had rehearsed this scenario in his mind over and over on those long drives from New Zion to Harden St to lurk around for vulnerable coeds.

I think he had a stop-off point already scouted out and that's where he opened the back door & assaulted her. Likely also put her in the trunk there.

This is a fantasy scenario he has been playing over and over in his head for a while (MOO, MOO) He has mentally rehearsed it for a while.

He wouldn't want to have to drive for a hour and a half with a screaming agitated woman in the back who could potentially attack him or damage that vehicle by kicking the seats, the windows, getting to the locks. I wonder if the baby seat was damaged? I think he had to have attacked her fairly soon after getting out of Columbia proper.

I think he had been planning this for a long time, the drive, the lurking, the child locks, but my guess (MOO) is that this is actually the first time he had been successful in kidnapping a woman.

I hope USC and LE can see if other women have had an experience approaching "the wrong car" or having someone like him call out to them while they were waiting for a Uber. Hopefully Uber is also cooperating to get a list of all women who called for Ubers in that location after dark.

I actually think this is his first abduction. But not his first try
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Excellent points. And you are right -- hard to imagine him going as far as New Zion with her screaming in the back so he probably did have a place scouted out first. Possibly could be found by looking at timing between cameras.
 
zecats said:
While I recognize there are fallibilities in every situation, using Uber doesn't have to be unsafe. There are many measures put in place to guarantee the driver is the one who was called, the ability to check his/her ratings, real time monitoring of the vehicle as it approaches the location set by you, etc. For example, when you call for a pickup, you are provided with car type, driver's name and license plate of the car. These can all be checked before entering the vehicle. Also, the driver confirms your name when you enter the car to be sure he/she has the correct person. I wonder if he knew enough to verify her name and /or if she would have noticed if he didn't.

Tracking in realtime, to me, distinguishes also between a car that is literally right next to you and pulls over in seconds, with a car that is still minutes away. All JMO, but details are from regular Uber users. (Myself included, though not on a regular basis).
Click to expand...

LE certainly knows the make/model/license of the Uber that she was expecting and also when the Uber texted her that she didn't meet the ride.

If Rowlands hung out a lot at that corner, he'd probably know some of the Ubers by sight, too.

I am guessing she had been at that place with friends before and had taken Uber for the quick drive back to her apartment, likely several times before. If Rowlands called out to her, she might have just been off guard and not had any reason to think he wasn't the one.
 
JenMom said:
For those familiar with FivePoints, approximately how many blocks until he could pull over somewhere away from crowds? In other words, how populated is that part of town at that time of night? I am envisioning a scenario where she might have noticed her ride was cancelled on the app and he said, "That's strange. Show me your phone" and taken the phone from her.
Click to expand...

Oh, wow. I see how that could easily happen

And if so, that's a pretty slick move on his part. Creepy.
 
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Trudie said:
I agree but the thing for me is everyone has a first time. Someone can drive an Uber for years, suddenly going criminal. Thinking of the Kalamazoo driver.....
Again, this needs to be a wake up call for all of us calling for a car.

ETA: of course this perp was not an Uber driver.
Click to expand...
True, but how do you defend that? If the actual driver is a killer, then any precautions would probably be useless. However, that person would be more than likely to be caught as they are on record for who they pick up and when/where. So that would possibly be a deterrent to a murderer to use Uber as part of the means.

And you could be in danger anywhere, not just in a ride share vehicle. Anyone anywhere - mall parking lot, hiking trail, department store, convenience store at closing (or early opening) etc etc. Many of the cases that have passed through WS. Killers always have a first time, whether due to finally giving in to impulses, having a random opportunity, or both. IMO.
 
zecats said:
True, but how do you defend that? If the actual driver is a killer, then any precautions would probably be useless. However, that person would be more than likely to be caught as they are on record for who they pick up and when/where. So that would possibly be a deterrent to a murderer to use Uber as part of the means.

And you could be in danger anywhere, not just in a ride share vehicle. Anyone anywhere - mall parking lot, hiking trail, department store, convenience store at closing (or early opening) etc etc. Many of the cases that have passed through WS. Killers always have a first time, whether due to finally giving in to impulses, having a random opportunity, or both. IMO.
Click to expand...

Ita
Where are we safe?
(Rhetorical question, obviously)
We just have to be on our toes 100% of the time.
 
Herat said:
LE certainly knows the make/model/license of the Uber that she was expecting and also when the Uber texted her that she didn't meet the ride.

If Rowlands hung out a lot at that corner, he'd probably know some of the Ubers by sight, too.

I am guessing she had been at that place with friends before and had taken Uber for the quick drive back to her apartment, likely several times before. If Rowlands called out to her, she might have just been off guard and not had any reason to think he wasn't the one.
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I agree. She was probably very comfortable with using Uber. She most likely never gave it a thought that what happened was possible. And sadly, it's too late for her because some predator took advantage of the situation.

There are ways to learn from this and to be more aware to protect yourself. Sometimes when bad things happen in a way like this, it can be a lesson to prevent it from happening again. Using Uber or Lyft? Look at the car, check the license plate, see if the driver is the person supposed to be in the car. JMO
 
Vail said:
Uber and Lyft are not at fault for this crime. Aside from the app, which makes it very easy for patrons to track and verify their car, drivers display a decal in their window. You are just as likely to be killed by a taxi driver or fake taxi. Nate killed Samantha. If you believe your death is something you can control, the best way of avoiding a situation like this is to stay with friends. How many times do we hear how a girl is separated (or outright ditched) by her companions only to end up murdered or dead?

I believe the perp is an example of a privileged upbringing with a high level of pressure (according to his webpage) and when he got into college and began to fail (couldn't compete, maybe lost his scholarship, who knows) he fell into drugs and became obsessed with his own image and entitlement. It is likely S was unfortunately available to serve as his outlet for a lot of anger. I think he saw her standing there and, knowing that area is a frequent pickup spot, took the opportunity. I won't be surprised if we hear they have cctv of his car in that area frequently.
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Can you explain why you think he was privileged? Tia
I can’t find any info leading me to believe so.
 
Greg Adaline WIS

NEW SURVEILLANCE VIDEO:

Of the moment 21 year old Samantha Josephson was abducted in Five Points.

Time stamped 2:08AM on Friday, from a Five Points business. The exact time Columbia Police say she was kidnapped.

If you follow the mouse arrow... you can see the suspect’s vehicle, the Chevy Impala slowly exit the parking lot top center... then turn into the handicapped parking space in front of the Bird Dog bar. The car is parked, for a mere moment... before it backs out, then takes off down Harden Street.

Gone in an instant.

Police say the suspect now charged in her kidnapping and murder, Nathaniel Rowland had the child safety locks engaged when he picked her up.

Prayers go out to her family, friends and the entire community.

WIS TV
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=366148014234191
 
Trudie said:
Ita
Where are we safe?
(Rhetorical question, obviously)
We just have to be on our toes 100% of the time.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Are we going to look at every case and then say I will never walk alone in parking lot again..I will never shop alone in a department store...I will never hike or walk or bike ride...I will never use Uber. The best we can all do is be aware, know how and what to look for, trust our instincts. Best we can do to not live our lives as a hermit. IMO
 
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