An 81-year-old Ohio man has been charged in the fatal shooting of an Uber driver he believed was working with a scammer, according to officials who said the victim was sent to the home by the same scammer.
William Brock told investigators he shot Loletha Hall, 61, outside his home March 25 because he thought she was working with a man who called him pretending to be an officer at the local court, Lt. Kristopher Shultz of the Clark County Sheriff's Office said.
"Mr. Brock received some scam call by a person purporting to be someone from our courts who informed him a family member was incarcerated and that he had a bond of a significant amount of money," Shultz said. "The calls turned from 'I'm an officer in the court' to 'We have this subject hostage, this is a ransom demand.'"
The person who called Brock, or an accomplice, requested an Uber ride to his South Charleston home to pick up the money, Shultz said.
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"Ms. Hall did not have any idea," he added.
When Hall arrived at the home and approached the front door, Brock confronted her with a gun and asked her who she was working for, Shultz said. He took her cellphone and prevented her from getting in her vehicle and driving away.
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“When she tried to get away, he shot her once, then there was more exchange between them," Shultz said. "Mr. Brock was at some point injured to his head, and he shot Ms. Hall a second time. There was more conversation, and then he shot her a third time. Only after he shot her a third time did he then make contact with authorities to report the incident."
Hall did not threaten Brock, have a weapon or assault him, according to the sheriff's office and a complaint filed in Clark County Municipal Court. She was taken to a hospital where she died from her injuries, according to the complaint.
In a statement, Uber said the company had spoken with Hall's family.
"This is a horrific tragedy and our hearts continue to be with Loletha’s loved ones as they grieve," an Uber spokesperson said. "We have been in contact with law enforcement and remain committed to supporting their investigation."
The Uber spokesperson said the account of the person who ordered a car to Brock's house has been banned. Officials have not identified the person who requested the Uber, and have not said if they have made any additional arrests in connection with the case.
In a grand jury presentation Monday, Brock was indicted on three counts of murder, one count of felonious assault and one count of kidnapping, Shultz said. He will be arraigned on those charges later this week.
It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.
Brock was originally arraigned on a murder charge in the Municipal Court of Clark County on Wednesday and posted a $200,000 bond. If convicted of that charge, he could be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison or a $15,000 fine.
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