Alleged Samantha Josephson Killer Had Faced Charges Arising From Separate Kidnapping Incident: Documents

The South Carolina man accused of kidnapping and killing Samantha Josephson after she apparently mistook his car for her Uber had previously faced charges in connection with the alleged kidnapping of another woman, according to reports. 

Nathaniel David Rowland, 24, has been charged with the murder and abduction of Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina student who police say mistakenly got into his car after a night out with friends March 29. 

Rowland allegedly killed Josephson and then dumped her body in a wooded area of Clarendon County, where it was later discovered by hunters, police said. He was arrested March 30 after officers spotted his car several blocks from where Josephson was last seen alive, officials said.

But this was not the first incident involving the kidnapping of a woman to which Rowland was allegedly connected, according to warrants and documents obtained by WLTX-TV. 

On Oct. 19, 2018, Rowland was arrested for allegedly trying to profit off items taken during another woman’s abduction, police said.

Columbia police said the woman told them two men carjacked her while she was at a traffic light, assaulted her and then forced her to drive to an ATM to get money, WLTX-TV reported.  

The woman was then made to drive to her own home, where the two men allegedly took items before fleeing, according to the television station.

Rowland allegedly sold some of those stolen items hours later at a pawn shop, according to police. Investigators were able to track the stolen items to the pawn shop and they arrested Rowland. 

Rowland was charged with obtaining goods under false pretenses valued at $2,000 or less, the State Law Enforcement Division said. He was not charged with the alleged carjacking and kidnapping. 

Rowland is still awaiting a bond hearing in the Josephson case. He is due in court April 22. 

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