A 21 year old University of South Carolina student who disappeared after getting into a car she mistook for her Uber has been found dead, according to police. Authorities identified her as Samantha. Police say a man named Nathaniel has been arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping. The charges are allegations that have yet to be tested in court.
Columbia Police Chief W.H. Skip Holbrook told reporters that Samantha had requested an Uber and was waiting for it, citing surveillance footage. Police believe she mistakenly got into the suspect’s car thinking it was her ride.
According to police, Samantha requested the ride around 2 a.m. Friday after she was separated from her roommates during a night out in Columbia. Her roommates grew worried when they did not hear from her and called police that afternoon. Hours later, hunters found a body in a wooded area of Clarendon County, about 40 feet from a dirt road. The body was identified as Samantha’s.
Investigators say surveillance video showed her getting into a black Chevy Impala. Police say an officer spotted a matching car, and when the driver was asked to stop, he ran on foot but was caught. Police say blood matching hers was found in the passenger area and trunk, and her phone was found in the car. According to CNN, investigators also found bleach and cleaning wipes in the vehicle, and the child safety locks were turned on, which would make it very difficult to get out from the back seat.
Authorities have not said how Samantha died. They say the suspect once lived in Clarendon County and knows the area where her body was found.
Her father confirmed her death on Facebook, writing that he will miss and love his daughter for the rest of his life.
Baller Alert sends condolences to Samantha’s family and friends.
