COLUMBIA, S.C. (1010 WINS/AP) -- A 24-year-old man was arrested in the killing of a 21-year-old New Jersey woman studying at the University of South Carolina.
Nathaniel Rowland was charged with murder and kidnapping after his arrest Saturday near the same bar district where Samantha Josephson was kidnapped the day before.
Josephson was reported missing after last being seen around 2 a.m. Friday getting into a car outside a bar in Columbia's 5 Points area.
Turkey hunters found her body in a field 90 miles from Columbia a day after she went missing, according to police. University President Harris Pastides said in a letter Saturday to the university community that, "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.''
Josephson's father also posted on Facebook that his daughter "is no longer with us but she will not be forgotten.''
The investigation regarding USC student Samantha Josephson is now a homicide case. Her body was found by hunters in rural Clarendon Co. late yesterday afternoon. Suspect Nathaniel Rowland has been charged w/ Murder & Kidnapping by SLED. Agents have been an integral part in case. pic.twitter.com/2tj8TVRAex
— Columbia Police Dept (@ColumbiaPDSC) March 30, 2019
Police Chief Skip Holbrook says Josephson apparently made a fatal mistake trying to get home early Friday morning.
"What we know now is that she had in fact summoned an Uber ride. And was waiting for that ride to come, we believe. We don't have a statement or evidence that suggests this other than our observations on the video. We believe that she mistakenly got into this particular car, thinking it was an Uber ride," Holbrook said.
In speaking w/Josephson's parents, Chief Holbrook said during the news conference, "Our hearts are broken. There is nothing tougher than to stand before a family and explain how a loved one was murdered. It was gut-wrenching. This is personal to us." pic.twitter.com/ssTKx77l45
— Columbia Police Dept (@ColumbiaPDSC) March 30, 2019
The police chief says they found the victim's blood and her cellphone in the suspect's car.
Holbrook also noted that the child safety locks were activated, meaning someone in the back of the vehicle couldn't open the doors from the inside.
Josephson was a senior political science major from Robinsville, New Jersey.
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