In opening arguments in
Fifth Circuit Solicitor
“As she stood there waiting for that
Once inside, Josephson was trapped because Rowland had turned on the backseat child locks so the doors could only be opened from the outside, prosecutors said.
Josephson’s death drew national attention to safety concerns about ride-hailing services and prompted some changes.
Rowland, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, has been in the
Gipson said more than 100 stab wounds, cuts and other abrasions were found on Josephson's body, which was dumped in woods about 65 miles (105 kilometers) from
It was clear Josephson fought back, “kicking and punching and clawing the person attacking her,” said
Goode noted that investigators had amassed a large amount of evidence in the days after the crime, including swabbing Josephson's body and Rowland's car.
Yet none of the DNA evidence gathered from the victim matches Rowland, Goode said.
“Zero: that's the amount of DNA on Samantha Josephson’s body that matches Nathaniel's," Goode said. “Zero. It’s not on her clothing, not under her ripped and torn fingernails, it’s not on her ankles.”
Gipson said investigators tracking both Josephson's and Rowland's phones found the the two traveling together through parts of
Rowland’s phone continued to ping all the way to the small community of
Gipson also said there were witnesses who found Rowland's bloody clothes in a dumpster and saw Rowland cleaning the “peculiar looking knife blade tool” that prosecutors said had served as the murder weapon.
Gipson, who didn’t address any potential motives for the crime, discussed video evidence showing Rowland attempting to use the victim's debit card and trying to sell her cellphone. Investigators later found Josephson's blood and cellphone in Rowland’s car, along with bleach, window cleaner and cleaning wipes.
Witnesses began testimony in front of jurors Tuesday afternoon.
Liu is a corps member for the
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