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

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Downtownbrown said: ↑
As stated before, I’m the mom of 5 and wife on an Uber/Lyft driver. This opinion I’m about to give was very unpopular on a friends facebook post and I was called mean, insensitive and a poor excuse for a mother, but here goes. The whole idea that an Uber driver has to say your name is false. Uber discourages it, at least in my area which is Miami/Ft Lauderdale because of fraud. The scam is the driver says, “Are you Carol?” the rider says “yes” gets in.
>>> respectfully snipped by borndem for space <<<
Click to expand...

Seattle1 said:
I'm sorry your spouse has been taken by scammers -- perhaps driving in Florida adds to his misery. Nonetheless, I think your example demonstrates why the solution should be a dual party approach. Both drivers and riders must share the responsiblity for their own safety.
>>> respectfully snipped by borndem for space <<<
MOO
Click to expand...
Maybe what I am suggesting here is already being done -- or is too complicated -- or is not good enuff for security -- or can't be done due to whatever...
When a call for a ride is made, the Uber or Lyft rep assigns the requestor a password and also tells the caller what the driver's password is.
When the car arrives, the rider and driver exchange passwords and on with the show. The passwords are only good for that one ride. This puts a bit of a burden of the Uber/Lyft driver to keep up with passwords, but s/he has to also know the pick-up address so what's one more word?
Each party is indeed in potential danger, so let's be sure of things from both sides.
 
I guess it's probably a good regulation for ride share apps to require verification on both devices before starting the service.

If you are a present and cautious person, it seems simple to simply ask "and your name is..?" since you know from the app. Works for either drivers or passengers

On the other hand, some people will never be careful. I've had more than one experience where women have just gotten into my car thinking I was someone else.
 
borndem said:
Maybe what I am suggesting here is already being done -- or is too complicated -- or is not good enuff for security -- or can't be done due to whatever...
When a call for a ride is made, the Uber or Lyft rep assigns the requestor a password and also tells the caller what the driver's password is.
When the car arrives, the rider and driver exchange passwords and on with the show. The passwords are only good for that one ride. This puts a bit of a burden of the Uber/Lyft driver to keep up with passwords, but s/he has to also know the pick-up address so what's one more word?
Each party is indeed in potential danger, so let's be sure of things from both sides.
Click to expand...

I don't know @borndem, I can't speak for others but retrieving and exchanging one more password in my daily life would not work for me! (I already have to remember two passwords for each uber/lyft app)!

I almost exclusively use rideshares only for the airport and try to make an advance reservation the night before if available. It depends on my destination, airlines, etc.-- have to be confident on the arrival time. If no advance reservation, depending on the airport and time you're trying to leave the airport, the wait for a ride can be almost 2 hours!

I arrived LAX today and nothing went as planned. Most of the escalators in my terminal were shut-down (not sterile enough) adding 15 more minutes to reach baggage claim. I'm not one that constantly has my cellphone in my hands. It's inconvenient and I need my hands free in the airport. When I'm seated on the bus to the rideshare lot, I will remind myself of the make/model/color of vehicle and last 3 digits of tag #
  • deplane,
  • walk 15+ minutes to baggage claim to collect luggage (no escalators),
  • carry bag outside to airport rideshare bus pick up zone,
  • wait for rideshare bus,
  • board rideshare bus to the designated lot,
  • arrive rideshare lot,
  • get off bus with bag,
  • look for my ride "zone,"
  • walk to the "zone" don't forget your bag,
  • arrive at my zone,
  • 20 drivers parked/waiting in my "zone,".....
  • look for my driver......
Nope, I would fail miserably with the password requirement! :eek:
 
Seattle1 said:
I don't know @borndem, I can't speak for others but retrieving and exchanging one more password in my daily life would not work for me! (I already have to remember two passwords for each uber/lyft app)!

I almost exclusively use rideshares only for the airport and try to make an advance reservation the night before if available. It depends on my destination, airlines, etc.-- have to be confident on the arrival time. If no advance reservation, depending on the airport and time you're trying to leave the airport, the wait for a ride can be almost 2 hours!

I arrived LAX today and nothing went as planned. Most of the escalators in my terminal were shut-down (not sterile enough) adding 15 more minutes to reach baggage claim. I'm not one that constantly has my cellphone in my hands. It's inconvenient and I need my hands free in the airport. When I'm seated on the bus to the rideshare lot, I will remind myself of the make/model/color of vehicle and last 3 digits of tag #
  • deplane,
  • walk 15+ minutes to baggage claim to collect luggage (no escalators),
  • carry bag outside to airport rideshare bus pick up zone,
  • wait for rideshare bus,
  • board rideshare bus to the designated lot,
  • arrive rideshare lot,
  • get off bus with bag,
  • look for my ride "zone,"
  • walk to the "zone" don't forget your bag,
  • arrive at my zone,
  • 20 drivers parked/waiting in my "zone,".....
  • look for my driver......
Nope, I would fail miserably with the password requirement! :eek:
Click to expand...
It's been so long since I have taken an airplane flight, I've forgotten what a PITA flying is these days... I'm retired now, but I did travel a bit while I was working. I used to enjoy flying (I usually flew first class which was a plus), but then I got to where I really dreaded it -- even when flying for fun...

So yeah, one more flippin' detail would be a real pain, I agree. Ever since this case came to WS, I have had a horror about UBER/Lyft -- I've certainly used both and all was fine & dandy, but never by myself. Taking an Uber/Lyft ride by myself scares the hell outta me -- so that's why I laid out the double password idea.
Life is complicated and can be scary and dangerous. It seems it's not getting any better, but there is hope on a couple of fronts... SMH
Thanks for your good thoughts on this, @Seattle1. ;)
 
Gardenista said:
Samantha Josephson Was Stabbed 30 Times: Brutal Details Revealed In Accused Killer’s Bond Hearing
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link, Gardenista.

Noting:

The prosecution presented a pile of evidence stacked up against Rowland, including:
  • Samantha’s blood and hair found in his car.
  • Rowland seen on video using Samantha’s debit card and attempting to sell her phone in the hours after her death.
  • Samantha’s blood found on his clothes that he was seen wearing on the night of her murder.
  • The murder weapon was found at a home Rowland had visited that evening.
  • Cleaning products and rubber gloves found at his home.
  • Child safety lock was on in the car he was driving.
  • Video showed Samantha getting into Rowland’s black Chevy Impala.
  • Cell phone evidence tracked Rowland and Josephson’s phones in the same locations, including where the body was located.
Detectives also found a footprint in the car on the window belonging to Samantha — evidence showing she fought for her life in her last moments.

:(:mad:
 
SEP 26, 2020
#WHATSMYNAME 5k Run/Walk Held In Robbinsville In Honor of Samantha Josephson
Hundreds turned out for the #WHATSMYNAME 5K Run/ 1M Walk in honor of, Samantha Josephson. The run/walk supports the What’s My Name Foundation’s efforts regarding Ride Share Safety education.

[...]

The #WHATSMYNAME Foundation was established in honor of, Samantha Josephson. Our mission is to educate the world on ride share safety, supporting charitable organizations and providing college scholarships to selected high school seniors. Samantha may be gone but our goal for the rest of our time on earth is to share her story and make a lasting change.

Before you get in a ride share ask

“What’s my name?” and remember hers.

[...]
 
'Sami's Law' Requires Signs On Uber, Lyft Vehicles To Protect NJ Riders
10/15/2020
''New Jersey will soon require signs, QR codes and placards on Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing vehicles to protect passengers from getting into the wrong car.

“Sami’s Law” was named after Samantha “Sami” Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina student from Robbinsville who was kidnapped and stabbed to death in Columbia, SC in March 2019 by a man she mistook for an Uber driver.

New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission Board on Thursday approved the measure, which takes effect once it’s published in the state register.''
sami_nwbfny

Samantha “Sami” Josephson Photo Credit: abccolumbia.com
 
PommyMommy said:
WTH is wrong with his family?! "There is no way he could have done this."

Her blood was found on his clothes and in his car!

This just makes me furious. :confused::mad:
Click to expand...
Seattle1 said:
I watched an interview his parents gave linked in previous thread, and his Dad's account was that NR went to SC State hoping to continue his basketball effort at college level but was cut right away -- he didn't make the team.

I was under the impression that he may have later transferred to a community college but nonetheless, didn't graduate -- allegedly for financial reasons, according to his Dad. His Dad also said he went to work at FedEx when he dropped out. MOO
Click to expand...

It seems the suspect's father understands the evidence now against his son and no longer believes he was passed out at a party.

However, the suspect's mother probably made her other son stand up for his brother. Poor guy.

How likely is it that a stranger drove NR's vehicle more than an hour from the pick-up location and discarded SJ's body just a stone throw from NP's last known residence?

NOT!

What a brutal, horrific, event -- more than 30 stabs. :eek::(

Sources: Murder Weapon Recovered In Samantha Josephson Case

Josephson’s body was discovered on Friday afternoon by turkey hunters approximately forty feet off of Black Bottom Road near the town of New Zion – which is roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from downtown Columbia, S.C.

More significantly, Black Bottom Road is a stone’s throw from 1313 Renegade Trail – the last listed home address for Rowland.
 
OMG, I just listened to his mom on Court TV. She is potato MOO. Who let her talk on TV? Really? Yeah, I believe ya momma. NOT. Laugh. "As a child he loved everyone."

And after he was a child?.....................................................
 
Peppery said:
I can’t snip this, but this story is worse than just admitting guilt!

IF...IF...IF...

he woke up, no keys in his pocket, just so happened to find his car, with the keys in it, and covered in blood, and just drove away???

Nope. No possible dude.
Click to expand...

And the person allegedly driving his car when he was sleeping, killed and dumped SJ somewhere and returned a bloodied car with her telephone and things in it?
 
Trial Set For Man Accused Of Posing As Uber Driver And Killing USC Student Samantha Josephson

April 28, 2021

A trial date has been set for the man accused of posing as an Uber driver before he allegedly kidnapped and killed 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson.

The trial for Nathaniel David Rowland, of New Zion, S.C., will begin on July 19, 2021, according to online court records. Rowland is charged with murder and kidnapping in the 2019 murder.

[..]

The prosecution presented a pile of evidence stacked up against Rowland, including:

  • Samantha’s blood and hair found in his car.
  • Rowland was seen on video using Samantha’s debit card and attempting to sell her phone in the hours after her death.
  • Samantha’s blood was found on Rowland’s clothes that he was seen wearing on the night of her murder.
  • The murder weapon was found at a home Rowland had visited that evening.
  • Cleaning products and rubber gloves were found at his home.
  • The child safety lock was on in the car he was driving.
  • Video showed Samantha getting into Rowland’s black Chevy Impala.
  • Cell phone evidence tracked Rowland and Josephson’s phones in the same locations, including where the body was located.
 
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