Samantha Josephson Remembered During USC Vigil; NJ Funeral Plans Announced
Funeral plans were announced Sunday for a murdered college student from Robbinsville, as her classmates at the University of South Carolina held a vigil to mourn her loss.
Samantha Josephson was murdered after getting into a car that she mistook for an Uber ride in South Carolina on Friday, according to authorities. A 24-year-old man has been charged with murdering the 21-year-old student.
Samantha's Funeral Will Take Place on Wednesday
Seymour and Marci Josephson shared the news of funeral plans for their 21-year-old daughter, Samantha Josephson, on Facebook today.
Samantha's funeral will take place at noon on Wednesday, April 3, at Congregation Beth Chaim (329 Village Road East) in the Princeton Junction section of West Windsor.
Burial will follow at Perrineville Cemetery in the Perrineville section of Millstone in Monmouth County.
"We loved Sammy," Her Friends Recalled During Sunday's Vigil
A vigil was held on the campus of the University of South Carolina Sunday evening as friends and family gathered to mourn the loss of the college senior.
Samantha's boyfriend and her father were among the speakers during the vigil.
"She truly was the love of my life," Samantha's boyfriend said. "I saw such a clear future with her. I thought I had my future so perfectly planned out."
Meanwhile, her father, Seymour Josephson, urged students to use safety precautions when using rideshare services. He said he plans on urging Uber and Lyft to do more to educate their riders about safety precautions.
"I don't want anyone else to ever go through this again. I can't tell you how painful this is," he said.
"A Hole in Our Universe" - A Mother's Message for Her Daughter's Alleged Killer
Earlier in the day on Sunday, Samantha's mother, Marci, spoke in a South Carolina courtroom about her daughter. The man accused of murdering her daughter, Nathaniel David Rowland, waived his rights to a court appearance and was not present in the Columbia, SC courtroom.
"There are no words to describe the immense pain, his actions have caused our family and friends. He’s taken away a piece of our heart, soul, and life. Shame on him. We thought he would be here to see his evil face. I can not fathom how someone could randomly select a person, a beautiful girl and steal her life away," Marci Josephson told the judge.
"A hole in our universe and we see the unimaginable ripple, affect her world. I implore the court to deny bail or the posting of a bond. He should never be given the right to walk free again for what he did to my daughter, or given the opportunity to hurt anyone else. Samantha Josephson. My daughter’s name is Samantha Josephson. Don’t ever forget her name. Samantha Josephson. Shame on him."
An Outpouring of Support
Some of Samantha's closest loved ones started a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money to cover the costs associated with Samantha's funeral and memorial service.
The fundraiser had received more than $45,000 from more than 1,200 donors, as of Sunday night.
Townsquare Media's Dan Alexander contributed to this report.