Horrifying moment phone scam victim, 81, pulls gun on innocent Uber driver before killing her
William Brock is accused of fatally shooting Loletha Hall, 61, after she arrived to pick up a package
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An 81-year-old Ohio man has been charged with murder after allegedly gunning down an Uber driver who arrived at his home as part of a phone scam he also fell victim to.
William Brock is accused of fatally shooting Loletha Hall, 61, after she arrived to pick up a package at his home around 11am on 25 March 2024. The man held her up at gunpoint when she got to the home and ordered her to tell him who’d sent her.
Police said that Mr Brock was contacted earlier by people unknown to him claiming that one of his relatives was being held in Clark County Jail.
The caller told the elderly man that they needed a significant amount of money in cash to post bail for the relative. The scammer provided pertinent information for the case and the posting of bail, which was determined to be “bogus” information, the county sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Mr Brock spoke to the caller several times but was hesitant to comply with the instructions given to him by the scammer. That’s when the caller began making violent threats toward the man and other members of his family, police said.
The elderly man did not make any attempts to contact the police before confronting the driver with a pistol and taking her phone to prevent her from making any other calls. He also refused to allow her to leave the residence.
Officials say that Hall, who is from Columbus, Ohio, was also a victim of the scam and had either been contacted by the same person or an accomplice through the Uber app to pick up a package. Police said she didn’t make any threats toward the man and had only inquired about the package she was sent to pick up.
Authorities believe that Hall did not know the circumstances surrounding the request.
As she tried to escape into her car, Mr Brock chased after her and allegedly shot her multiple times. The two then engaged in a “scuffle” at the car door. A fight continued and Mr Brock shot the driver again, police said.
When authorities arrived at the address, they found Hall lying prone on the ground about 20 feet away from her vehicle. She was transported to an area hospital but died while in surgery.
After allegedly shooting Hall, Mr Brock went back inside his home, secured his firearm and called police.
The entire incident was caught on Hall’s dashcam. Mr Brock sustained an injury to his ear and head during the shocking incident. He was bleeding profusely from his injuries, the release stated.
Mr Brock was indicted on counts of murder, felonious assault and kidnapping by a grand jury on Monday. It’s unclear whether he has entered a plea on the additional charges. He previously posted a $200,000 bond on a single murder charge and was released from jail.
A defendant with the same name is currently in custody but The Independent could not confirm it was the same defendant. An attorney for Mr Brock could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lieutenant Kristopher E Shultz, a Clark County Sheriff’s Office detective investigating the incident, said that additional charges are likely to be filed against the defendant as a criminal probe continues.
In an emailed statement, Uber said it had spoken with Hall’s family and had banned the account that requested the driver pick up the package.
“This is a horrific tragedy and our hearts continue to be with Loletha’s loved ones as they grieve”, the company said. “We have been in contact with law enforcement and remain committed to supporting their investigation”.
The sheriff’s office is still trying to find the individual who placed the initial scam call.