An Ohio jury has convicted an 83-year-old man of murder after prosecutors said he fatally shot an Uber driver he wrongly believed was part of an elaborate scam targeting him.
On January 13, a jury found William Brock guilty of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping in the 2024 death of 61-year-old Lo-Letha Hall. According to WKEF, jurors reached a unanimous verdict after less than two hours of deliberation.
The deadly encounter unfolded on March 25, 2024, when Hall, a local Uber driver, arrived at Brock’s home to pick up a package for delivery. What she didn’t know, authorities say, was that Brock had spent the morning on the phone with a scammer who had convinced him a family member was in danger.
According to the Associated Press, Brock received a call claiming his nephew had been arrested and needed money to be released. CBS News reported the caller demanded $12,000 and allegedly threatened to kill both Brock and his nephew if the payment wasn’t made.
While Brock was still on the phone with the scammer, Hall received an Uber request directing her to Brock’s address to collect a package. Investigators say she had no connection to the scam and no idea what was happening.
When Hall arrived, prosecutors said Brock confronted her at gunpoint, demanding to know who she had spoken to on the phone earlier. He took her cellphone, refused to let her leave, and held her against her will. When Hall attempted to get back into her car, Brock shot her three times, killing her.
After the shooting, Brock called 911 and claimed the woman had tried to rob him.
Body camera footage from responding officers showed $12,000 in cash sitting on a table inside Brock’s home. In the footage, Brock could be heard explaining that he had been on the phone for hours with someone claiming his nephew was in jail and needed bond money.
“And this woman was supposed to get it,” Brock said, according to the AP.
Brock was later indicted on charges of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping. He was released from jail after posting $200,000 bail while awaiting trial.
CBS News reported that the Uber account used to request the pickup at Brock’s home was permanently banned following the incident.
Experts have described the case as a classic “grandparent scam,” a type of fraud that often targets older adults. According to the AP, psychology professor Anthony Pratkanis, who studies fraud crimes, said scammers often gather personal details from social media and use them to create panic, confusion, and fear in their victims.
Brock is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, according to WKEF.
Hashe got dementia
But don’t worry our wonderful government is on top of bringing phone scammers to justice and stopping robo calls!!
LOL LOL LOL LOL