Uber is a transportation company based in the United States is headquartered in San Francisco and has a global presence in approximately 72 countries and 10,500 cities. Its services include ride-hailing and food delivery. While the business is quite lucrative and has helped commuters worldwide, there are some issues regarding the safety of its clientele. In 2018 someone died after accidentally entering a car she thought was her Uber ride?
Samantha Josephson was stabbed over 100 times after mistakenly entering the wrong vehicle after ordering an Uber. She couldn’t escape because the assailant had activated the child lock. This incident prompted the creation of new laws to protect passengers.
Samantha Josephson’s Story
Samantha Josephson was born in Princeton, New Jersey, in Robbinsville, New Jersey. She studied political science at the University of South Carolina (USC). Josephson, a senior upon her unfortunate passing, planned to graduate in 2019 and attend Drexel University School of Law. She received a full scholarship to Drexel University and a partial scholarship to Rutgers, and she aspired to practice international law.
During her time at USC, Josephson, a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, studied abroad in Barcelona and traveled to Madrid and Paris. Josephson was buried in Perrineville, New Jersey, at the Perrineville Jewish Cemetery. (Source: New Jersey Obituaries)
Samantha Josephson’s Murderer
Nathaniel Rowland, 24, was a resident of New Zion in Clarendon County, Columbus, at the time of the murder. He attended East Clarendon School and played basketball.
According to the State Law Enforcement Division, Rowland had one prior felony arrest in South Carolina in October 2018 for obtaining a signature or property under false pretenses.
Rowland attended South Carolina State University in 2017, but the school’s chief of staff confirmed in 2019 that he was no longer student there at the time of Samantha’s murder. (Source: The Sun)
The Night of Samantha Josephson’s Murder?
According to prosecutors, Josephson got into Rowland’s car thinking it was an Uber ride that would take her back to her apartment. Instead, she was trapped because Rowland had the childproof locks on.
She was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered in remote woods about 65 miles from Columbia, covered in approximately 120 stab wounds. The death drew national attention to ride-hailing safety and prompted some changes, such as a more prominent display of driver’s license plates.
Her dreams became mine, and her death became my death. I close my eyes, and I feel what she went through at his hands.
Marci Josephson, Samantha’s Mother
On Tuesday, the victim’s mother, Marci Josephson, said these during Rowland’s sentencing phase. The judge described the case as the most brutal murder he had ever seen in court. (Source: NBC Philadelphia)
How Did Authorities Catch Nathaniel Rowland?
Cops observed Rowland driving a vehicle that matched the description of the one Josephson was seen entering in CCTV footage.
On March 20, 2019, he was apprehended and arrested. Police discovered a container of liquid bleach, germicidal wipes, and window cleaner inside the vehicle. Josephson’s cell phone was also found in the car, and a large amount of blood was on the backseat.
After searching the trash can behind Rowland’s girlfriend’s house, investigators discovered cleaning supplies and a two-bladed knife with Josephson’s blood. Rowland’s fingernails were also used to collect Josephson’s DNA.
In April 2019, he was charged with kidnapping, murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. (Source: The Sun)