Roommates, we are sending our prayers to the family and friends of Samantha Josephson. The 21-year-old college student was last seen early Friday before getting into a car she mistook as her Uber ride.
According to the New York Times, in a press conference on Saturday, police in Columbia, SC say Samantha was found in a wooded area in Clarendon County.
Nathaniel D. Rowland, 24, has been taken into custody and faces kidnapping and murder charges. He was arrested on Saturday after police found him driving a black Chevrolet Impala, which resembled the one Samantha entered.
Police reportedly said they saw a black Chevrolet Impala around 3 a.m. and when they tried to stop the driver, Nathaniel got out and fled. He was arrested after police found blood on the car’s passenger seat and in the trunk that reportedly matched Samantha’s. According to police, they also found liquid bleach, germicide wipes and window cleaner in the car.
Authorities did not say if there was a known connection between Samantha and Nathaniel, nor was a possible motive shared.
Harris Pastides, the president of the University of South Carolina, where Samantha was a student, released a statement and said, “Our prayers are with the family and friends of Samantha Josephson following the devastating news of her death. Times like these leave me searching for words of wisdom and comfort.”
Samantha’s roommates said that they reported her missing Friday afternoon after they were out together the night before, but they were separated and didn’t hear from her since.
We send our condolences to Samantha’s family during this difficult time, we’ll continue to keep you updated.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/us/samantha-josephson-usc.html
