Someone tried to use victim’s ATM card in SC fake Uber slaying, expert testifies at trial

Hours after Samantha Josephson went missing in 2019, someone was seeing trying to use her debit card at two ATM machines, according to surveillance video and expert testimony.

Danny Conyers, a former fraud investigator at Wells Fargo, testified Friday that a man tried to access Josephson’s card at a Sumter ATM and a second one in Columbia. His testimony was backed up by surveillance video showing a man attempting to conceal his face by pulling up his sweatshirt or coat and concealing his fingerprints by wearing gloves while unsuccessfully trying to withdraw money from Josephson’s account.

He was a witness in the murder trial of Nathaniel Rowland. Josephson, a University of South Carolina student, was murdered after getting into a black Impala she believed was her Uber ride. Police and prosecutors have said Rowland, 27, was the driver of that car who later killed Josephson and dumped her body in the woods in March 2019.

One piece of clothing, however, stood out to Conyers — the man’s flip-flops.

“You don’t see too many people walking up to the ATM with those on. Those look like bedroom shoes,” said Conyers, now retired.

The man, whom Conyers was not able to identify, tried to access an ATM at West Park Plaza in Sumter at 5:45 a.m., Conyers said. He twice tried to access the ATM before treturning to his car, which Conyers said was parked on Broad Street in Sumter. Later, a man tried to access Josephson’s account through an ATM at Hampton Hills in Columbia, he said. The man tried nine times to access Josephson’s account before leaving, Conyers said.

After being cross-examined by the defense, Conyers admitted he was not able to prove the same person had unsuccessfully tried to access both ATM machines.

However, “They were wearing the same clothes,” Conyers said. “Those bedroom shoes, those stood out more than anything.”

This story was originally published July 23, 2021 at 10:25 AM.