An 83-year-old Ohio man has been found guilty of murder after shooting dead an Uber driver, in a tragic case where both individuals were deceived by the same criminal scammer.
The Deadly Encounter and the Scam
A jury in Clark County, Ohio, convicted William J. Brock of South Charleston on Wednesday 14 January 2026. He was found guilty of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping for the shooting of 61-year-old Uber driver Loletha 'Lo-Letha' Toland-Hall. The incident occurred on 25 March 2024 outside Brock's home, situated between Dayton and Columbus.
Authorities stated that Brock had received threatening scam phone calls demanding $12,000 in supposed bond money for a relative. Believing the driver who arrived at his property was part of the plot, he fatally shot her. Investigators confirmed that Toland-Hall was an entirely innocent victim. She had been sent to Brock's address by the same scammer to collect a package for delivery, completely unaware of the threatening calls Brock had received.
Trial Details and Victim's Story
During the trial, Brock's defence argued the shooting was an act of self-defence, citing the scammer's threats against him and his family. However, prosecutors successfully countered that Toland-Hall was unarmed and posed no threat when Brock shot her six times.
The victim, Loletha Toland-Hall of Dublin, Ohio, was remembered as a devoted mother, a talented cook famous for her pound cakes, and an active church member. She had retired from Ohio’s Regional Income Tax Agency and worked in behavioural health before driving for Uber. Her son, Mario Hall, paid tribute to their incredibly close bond at her memorial service.
The Growing Menace of Grandparent Scams
This heartbreaking case highlights the severe and sometimes fatal consequences of so-called 'grandparent scams'. These frauds have become increasingly common over the last decade, with criminals harvesting personal details from social media to convincingly pretend a loved one is in trouble and urgently needs money.
Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll emphasised the wider tragedy after the verdict, stating, "both families lost loved ones because of the scam." He added a sobering warning: "The really sad part about this is that we know there are still criminals out there. We know that the scammers, the folks who started this, haven’t been brought to justice."
William Brock is scheduled to be sentenced next week. The mastermind behind the scam calls remains at large.
