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

[Chelly]

Now being shown in courtroom: Excellent quality street surveillance videos of Rowland's vehicle driving to crime scene.

 

[Chelly]

Interested to see how much of a.case the defense will put on, if any at all (I think they will).

I believe it's only been rumored by the defendant's family back in 2019, that NR went to a party, passed out , and the inference is then that the car was taken by someone. But I don't recall that being mentioned by the defense in opening.

For me they would need several (credible) witnesses to verify that NR was at some kind of gathering and passed out (unlikely) or other independent evidence placing him at said gathering (vid surveillance, cell phone data, drunken photos posted on social media) to make suggestion that car was.taken plausible.

Otherwise, the suggestion is that the car was stolen, murder committed and the car thief/killer respectfully returned the vehicle back to where it was stolen for NR to continue on with his day as normal, except for the horrific murder scene he left NR to clean up.

For me, with the totality of the evidence and seeing the ATM surveillance (while not confirming it was NR) where he is completely covered from head to toe, it seems reasonable that NR committed this crime and did not leave traces of himself on Samantha. It really brings to mind the terror of what happened to her.

Right! Looking forward to see if defense has witnesses to provide the "passed out at party" alibi for NR.

 

[Chelly]

Is anyone else watching these great surveillance videos?

 

[Gardenista]

Is anyone else watching these great surveillance videos?

Meeeeee!

 

[Chelly]

Stephen Fastenau
@StephenFastenau
42m
After saying the weapon was the multitool shown in court this morning, Beaver says on cross-examination he sent an investigator a photo of what he thought the weapon could be a few days after the autopsy, after searching thousands of images — wasn’t a multitool.
@StephenFastenau
41m
Beaver says with injuries to Josephson’s brain and an artery in her neck, she could have died within 10-20 minutes.



https://twitter.com/StephenFastenau

 

[BUF]

Is anyone else watching these great surveillance videos?

Yes. Sure looks like he was trolling the area.

 

[Chelly]

Yes. Sure looks like he was trolling the area.

Predator searching for prey.

Lesson learned here. Don't commit a crime in Columbia SC. LE and SLED will get ya.

 

[Chelly]

Oh gosh. Camera shows Samantha entering the vehicle.

 

[Chelly]

More videos showing Rowland's vehicle driving along various streets. Heart-breaking knowing Samantha is on her way to her death.

 

[razzledazzle]

In one of those video clips, where they mention a time where they have the most light entering into the car, I swear I would be able to identify NR in a lineup from his profile side. I hope they come back to that.

 

[Chelly]

I will be out of here for awhile. If someone wants to take over tweets, etc. that would be so great.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

That weapon! First time I've seen a tool like that.

Dr. Thomas Beaver, forensic pathologist testifying about the weapon - he matched her wounds to the knife blades

 

[razzledazzle]

What's with the U -turns? Is she in the car with him at this time? I'm at work and it's hard to watch.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I'm surprised he wasn't stopped for speeding and driving erratically after the murder.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Breaking for lunch will return at 2:30

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Last surveillance image of Samantha

 

[Seattle1]

The Court TV discussion speculated that robbery was the motive and when she didn’t hand over money, ATM card etc and fought back it escalated to this brutal attack. I think they are probably right.
He could have just pushed her out the car and gone to find another easier victim. He had choices, he didn’t have to kill her in such frenzied brutal way. Complete lack of human compassion.
And afterward, casually dumps her body, rides back to Columbia trying to use her ATM card., goes to his girlfriend’s with a blood soaked car, tries to get a little money selling her phone, half-#ssed cleaning the car but still drove around in it the next night because wow you don’t want to miss hanging with your friends. This guy, and I’d include his friends, care nothing about other people. These are predators in the worse sense.

The last case where NR was accused of attempting to sell stolen property was a carjacking. This must have been the agenda of his crowd (terrorize victims inside a moving vehicle). MOO

 

[StarryStarryNight]

Excellent job putting all those security videos together.
Certainly looks like he was prowling.
I think he saw her try to get in that silver car as he was exiting the parking lot and realized she was waiting on an Uber and not just a friend picking her up. He saw his opportunity and took it. I’m sure he acted like an Uber driver at least until he started into Rosewood.
Very upsetting to watch that car heading east knowing by then she knew she was in big trouble.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

The last case where NR was accused of attempting to sell stolen property was a carjacking. This must have been the agenda of his crowd (terrorize victims inside a moving vehicle). MOO

Those were my exact thoughts.

 

[BUF]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JulieCourtTV/status/1419703950790496259

FINAL MOMENTS: Surveillance footage captures Samantha Josephson waiting for her Uber ride on 3/29/19.
@CourtTV @CourtTVUK #MistakenRideshareMurderTrial