An 83-year-old man from Ohio has been found guilty of murder after fatally shooting an Uber driver he mistakenly believed was conspiring to rob him, a tragic case stemming from a malicious phone scam that deceived both parties.
The Fatal Confrontation and Trial Verdict
William J. Brock, of South Charleston, Ohio, was convicted by a jury on Wednesday 14th January 2026. The charges included murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping in connection with the death of 61-year-old driver Lo-Letha Toland-Hall. Brock is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
The shooting occurred in March 2024 when Toland-Hall, from the Columbus suburb of Dublin, arrived at Brock's home to collect a package for delivery. Prosecutors stated that Brock fired six shots, killing the unarmed driver.
A Scam That Deceived Two Victims
Authorities explained that both individuals had been targeted by the same scammer. Brock had received calls demanding $12,000 in supposed bond money for a relative, with threats made against him and his family. He wrongly assumed the arriving Uber driver was part of this plot.
Investigators confirmed that Toland-Hall was an entirely innocent party. She was unaware of the scam calls Brock had received and was simply performing her job, having been directed to his home between Dayton and Columbus to pick up a delivery.
Contested Defence and Lasting Impact
During the trial, Brock's attorney argued the shooting was an act of self-defence, citing the threats from the scammer. Brock himself testified that he felt threatened when the driver arrived.
However, prosecutors successfully countered that Toland-Hall posed no threat. Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll emphasised the dual tragedy after the verdict, noting both families had lost loved ones because of the unseen scammer's actions.
"The really sad part about this is that we know there are still criminals out there," Driscoll told reporters. "We know that the scammers, the folks who started this, haven’t been brought to justice." A message left with Brock's attorney seeking comment was not immediately returned.
