An Ohio jury has found an 83-year-old man guilty of murder in the fatal shooting of an Uber driver who became caught in a cruel phone scam that ultimately cost her life.
William J. Brock of South Charleston was convicted this week after jurors concluded that he wrongly believed the driver who arrived at his home was trying to rob him. Authorities said that scammers targeted Brock, convincing him that a relative was in legal trouble and urgently needed $12,000 for bond. The callers allegedly threatened Brock and his family, leaving him frightened and confused.
Unbeknownst to Brock, the same scammer had also deceived 61-year-old Lo-Letha Toland-Hall, an Uber driver from Dublin, Ohio. Investigators said she was sent to Brock’s home in March 2024 to pick up a package, believing it was a legitimate delivery request. When she arrived at the house, Brock assumed she was part of the scam and opened fire, shooting her six times. Toland-Hall was unarmed and posed no danger, prosecutors said.
During the trial, Brock testified that he feared for his safety and believed he was acting in self-defense. His attorney argued that the threatening phone calls left Brock feeling trapped and desperate. Prosecutors rejected that claim, telling jurors that Toland-Hall had no knowledge of the scam targeting Brock and was simply doing her job.
On Wednesday, Brock was convicted of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping. He is expected to be sentenced later this week. Attempts to reach his attorney for comment were unsuccessful. Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll said the case highlights the devastating reach of modern scams. “Two families have lost loved ones because of this,” he said. “The people who started this, the scammers, are still out there, and they haven’t been held accountable.”
For the families left behind, the verdict brings closure but not relief from a tragedy fueled by fear, deception, and senseless violence.
