A jury has convicted an 83-year-old Springfield man of murder over the fatal shooting of an Uber driver who he mistakenly thought was trying to rob him after they were both set up by scam phone calls.
As previously reported, William J. Brock fatally shot the driver on March 25, 2024, at Brock's home. Brock called 911 and reported he had shot a woman, identified as 61-year-old Loletha Hall. He told authorities he believed Hall was attempting to rob him.
Brock Received a Call from Scammer Threatening Him, Demanding Money, Same Scammer Called Hall and Asked Her to Pick Up a Package from Brock
When authorities arrived, they found Hall on the ground and she had been shot multiple times. She was taken to Kettering Health Main Campus in Dayton but succumbed to her injuries.
Brock told authorities that a man had called him and threatened him and his family. The Clark County Sheriff's Office said at the time that the call was a scam and the caller had demanded money.
Investigators learned the same scam caller had contacted Hall using the Uber app and asked her to pick up of a package at Brock's residence. When Hall arrived at Brock's home and asked about the package, he pulled out a handgun and held her at gunpoint.
Brock reportedly demanded that Hall identify the person who had called him. The sheriff's office says he took Hall's phone and refused to let her leave. Hall was not armed. When Hall attempted to get in her vehicle and leave, Brock shot her. They struggled at the door of her vehicle and he shot her two more times, reports say. Brock then called 911.
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Brock Claimed He Shot Hall in Self-Defense
Brock, of South Charleston, was convicted of murder, felonious assault and kidnapping Wednesday. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
Brock's attorney said the shooting was in self-defense and the scammer had made threats against him and his family. Brock testified during the trial that he felt threatened when the driver arrived at his house.
But prosecutors said Hall was unarmed and posed no threat when Brock shot her. Investigators said the driver was unaware of the scam call that Brock had received with threats and demands for money.
Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll told reporters after the verdict that both families lost loved ones because of 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."
