In brief
William J. Brock, aged 83, has been convicted of murder after fatally shooting 61-year-old Uber driver Lo-Letha Toland-Hall, whom he wrongly suspected was attempting to rob him as part of a scam. The jury found him guilty of multiple charges including murder and felonious assault, stemming from a confusing encounter that left both families mourning. Prosecutors emphasized that the driver was unarmed and posed no threat at the time of the shooting, drawing attention to the devastating impact of phone scams on vulnerable citizens.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A jury convicted an 83-year-old Ohio man of murder in the shooting of an Uber driver who he wrongly thought was trying to rob him after scam phone calls deceived them both.
William J. Brock fatally shot the driver after wrongly assuming she was in on a plot to get $12,000 in supposed bond money for a relative, authorities said. The driver fell victim to the same scammer, driving to Brock’s home to pick up a package for delivery, according to investigators.
Brock shot 61-year-old Lo-Letha Toland-Hall of Dublin, a Columbus suburb, six times when she showed up at his home in March 2024. Brock, of South Charleston, was convicted of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
Brock’s attorney contended the shooting was in self-defense, claiming that the scammer had made threats against Brock and his family. During the trial, Brock testified that he felt threatened when the driver arrived. However, prosecutors stated that Hall was unarmed and posed no threat when Brock shot her, noting that the driver was unaware of the scam call that Brock had received with threats and demands for money.
Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll highlighted the tragic nature of the case, stating that both families lost loved ones due to the scam. “The really sad part about this is that we know there are still criminals out there,” he said. “We know that the scammers, the folks who started this, haven’t been brought to justice.”
