An 83-year-old Ohio man, William J. Brock, has been convicted of murder in the shooting death of an Uber driver. The incident occurred after both Brock and the driver were deceived by scam phone calls.
Incident Overview
Brock fatally shot 61-year-old Lo-Letha Toland-Hall, an Uber driver from Dublin, six times at his South Charleston home in March 2024. Brock mistakenly believed Toland-Hall was involved in a plot to rob him of $12,000, which he thought was for a relative's bond.
The Scam
Investigators stated that Toland-Hall was also a victim of the same scammer. She had driven to Brock's residence to pick up a package for delivery, unaware of the threats and money demands Brock had received.
Trial and Verdict
- A jury convicted Brock on charges of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping on Wednesday.
- Sentencing is scheduled for the following week.
- Brock's attorney claimed the shooting was in self-defense, citing threats made by the scammer against Brock and his family. Brock testified that he felt threatened upon the driver's arrival.
- Prosecutors argued that Toland-Hall was unarmed and posed no threat when she was shot.
- Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll commented after the verdict, noting that both families experienced loss due to the scam and that the instigating scammers remain at large.