Nathaniel David Rowland, the man who murdered and kidnapped Samantha Josephson, was found guilty of murder and being in possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

According to the State Law Enforcement Division, Rowland has one prior felony arrest in South Carolina in October 2018 for acquiring a signature or property under false pretenses.

Rowland, who was 24 at the time of the murder, hails from New Zion in Columbus’ Clarendon County.

Cops saw Rowland driving a car that matched the description of the one Josephson was seen entering in the surveillance video. On March 20, 2019, he was apprehended and arrested.

After checking the garbage can behind Rowland’s girlfriend’s house, investigators discovered cleaning materials and a two-bladed knife with Josephson’s blood on them. Rowland’s fingernails were also used to capture Josephson’s DNA.

After two hours of discussion, the jury reached a unanimous decision, according to NBC station WIS of Columbia.

Rowland, who was given the opportunity to speak during the sentence, maintained his innocence.

“But I guess what I know and what I think really doesn’t matter. I just wish the state would have done more finding out who the actual person was instead of detaining me and proving my guilt.” Rowland said.

On July 27, 2021, Rowland was sentenced to life in prison.

During Rowland’s trial, prosecutors offered no specific motive for the crime, but Judge Newman said the killer was “absolutely cruel.”

“It was certainly a random act of violence,” chief prosecutor Byron Gipson stated when asked by news reporters what Rowland’s motivation may have been.

Samantha Josephson grew up in Robbinsville, New Jersey, and was born in Princeton, New Jersey. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina (USC).

Josephson, a senior at the time of her death, had intended to graduate in 2019 and attend Drexel University School of Law. She received a full scholarship to Drexel University and a half scholarship to Rutgers University, with the goal of practicing international law.

During her time at USC, Josephson, a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, studied in Barcelona and traveled to Madrid and Paris. Josephson is buried in Perrineville, New Jersey’s Perrineville Jewish Cemetery.

The day after Josephson unintentionally entered the car, her roommates got concerned and reported her missing. Her corpse was discovered fourteen hours after the kidnapping in a field in New Zion, Clarendon County, by turkey hunters.

According to authorities, Rowland had lately lived in the region where Josephson’s corpse was discovered. She died of several sharp force injuries, according to an autopsy. The pathologist found that she had roughly 120 stab wounds.