In Ohio, an elderly man faces the likelihood of spending his remaining days behind bars after being convicted of murdering an Uber driver in a tragic misunderstanding. William Brock, 83, shot and killed 61-year-old Loletha Hall outside his home, mistakenly thinking she was attempting to rob him. Ironically, both individuals were unwitting victims of the same phone scam.

The jury in Clark County needed less than two hours to reach a verdict, finding Brock guilty on multiple charges, including murder, felony assault, and kidnapping. This verdict comes in the wake of the fatal shooting that occurred in 2024, a case that has drawn significant attention from local authorities and the public alike, as evidenced by the announcement by officials.

Despite Brock’s claim of self-defense, it was clear from the evidence that Hall posed no threat and was unarmed when Brock fired six shots at her. This tragic incident highlights the devastating impact of scams, which can lead to irreversible consequences.

“This is a heartbreaking situation with no winners,” commented Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll following the jury’s decision. “Both families are grieving losses, and the true perpetrators — the scammers — remain at large. We hope the FBI will eventually bring them to justice, allowing us to hold them accountable for their actions here in Clark County.”

The tragic event unfolded on March 25, 2024, at around 11:18 a.m., right outside Brock’s home in South Charleston. Hall, a seasoned Uber driver with over ten years of experience, was simply responding to a seemingly routine task. Believing it to be a legitimate pickup request from the rideshare service, she arrived at Brock’s residence to collect a package for delivery.

Unbeknownst to Hall, the same person or people who directed her to Brock’s home had also contacted Brock, threatening to kill his family unless he gave $12,000 cash to a woman matching Hall’s description.

Footage from a dashcam inside Hall’s Acura shows her approaching Brock’s home, getting out of her car and engaging with Brock before attempting to leave the home. But Brock trailed her closely, pointing his .22 caliber revolver at her and at one point, taking her phone away from her so she could not make any outgoing calls.

“Ms. Hall, unfamiliar with the circumstances which had occurred, arrived and made contact with Mr. Brock,” investigators wrote in an incident report.

Hall made no demands of Brock, according to police, and only asked him about the package she was meant to pick up. Brock started making demands about her identity and that’s when he took her phone and refused to allow her to leave. During the encounter, Brock “made no attempts to summon help or call 911 for assistance,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

“Ms. Hall attempted to re-enter her vehicle to leave the property and escape, during which time she was shot by Mr. Brock, and Mr. Brock was injured in the subsequent scuffle at the door of Ms. Hall’s vehicle,” the incident report said. “Further exchange took place between them, after which Mr. Brock shot Ms. Hall again, and after further exchange, shot her again a third, separate, time.”

It was not until after the shooting that Brock called 911. During the call, Hall could reportedly be heard in the background repeatedly saying, “Help me.”

“Objectively, a reasonable person would not shoot a defenseless woman multiple times to protect themselves from words of a scammer,” Assistant Clark County Prosecutor Kadawni Scott told jurors during his opening statements, per the Springfield News-Sun. “The act doesn’t justify the act of taking a life of another, because words scared him?”

Following the verdict, Brock’s bond was revoked and he was returned to custody. He is currently scheduled to appear for his sentencing hearing on Jan. 21.