William J. Brock shot Lo-Letha Toland-Hall after a scam call sent her to his Clark County home for a package pickup.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — An Ohio judge on Monday sentenced William J. Brock, 83, to 21 years to life in prison for fatally shooting Uber driver Lo-Letha Toland-Hall outside his South Charleston home in March 2024 after a phone scam convinced him someone would arrive to collect cash.
Prosecutors said Brock fired six times, killing Toland-Hall, 61, who had been dispatched to pick up a package and was unarmed. A Clark County jury found Brock guilty on Jan. 14 of murder, felonious assault and kidnapping. The case drew wide attention because both people were targeted by the same scammer and because the violence unfolded on the driver’s dash camera. Authorities say the scammers who orchestrated the meeting have not been identified. Monday’s sentencing closes the criminal trial phase against Brock but leaves open appeals and a civil claim filed by Toland-Hall’s family.
Jurors deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Brock last month. According to trial testimony, Brock received calls demanding $12,000 in supposed bail money for a relative. The caller said a courier would come to the house. Toland-Hall, working an Uber Connect assignment, arrived at the address on March 25, 2024. Video played in court showed Brock confronting her with a .22-caliber revolver and ordering her to identify herself. As Toland-Hall moved to call 911, Brock shot her in the leg, then fired additional rounds as she tried to get back into her car. She died during surgery at a Columbus hospital. “Both families suffered a loss here,” Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll said after the verdict.
Investigators said Toland-Hall never threatened Brock, did not demand money and did not display a weapon. The state argued Brock escalated the encounter and kept her from leaving, supporting the kidnapping count. Brock testified he feared for his life and believed she was part of the plot, but jurors rejected self-defense. Records show he called 911 after the shooting and described a “bond scam,” a scheme that has hit seniors across the region. The dash camera captured portions of the struggle and Brock’s commands. The revolver, shell casings and the driver’s phone were taken into evidence. The identity of the caller remains unknown, and authorities have not announced arrests linked to the scam.
The shooting happened on the front porch and driveway of Brock’s home in South Charleston, a Clark County village east of Dayton. Court filings indicate both Brock and Toland-Hall were strangers before the call sent her to his address to retrieve a small package. The victim, a mother and longtime Columbus-area resident, had been driving with Uber to supplement her income. Prosecutors described her assignment as routine and said the scammer likely used the app to avoid showing up in person. The case followed other high-profile incidents in which people were shot while working or approaching a residence, drawing renewed scrutiny to armed confrontations involving service workers.
With sentencing complete, Brock remains eligible to seek a new trial or appeal. Before sentencing, his attorney challenged jury instructions and argued the porch area should be legally treated as part of the residence. The conviction stands unless an appeals court rules otherwise. Driscoll said his office will continue to review leads on the caller who set up the “package pickup.” Civil court filings by Toland-Hall’s estate seek damages from Brock and any unknown parties connected to the scheme. No separate charges have been announced against others, and authorities have not set a timetable for further updates.
Family members of Toland-Hall addressed the court and described her as patient and hardworking. A small group of Uber drivers and friends sat in the gallery, some wearing shirts with her nickname. “She was just doing her job,” one relative said outside the courthouse. Neighbors from Brock’s street told reporters they heard shouting, then several sharp pops. A woman who lives two houses away said she first thought the noises were from a car backfiring. “There are no winners here,” Driscoll said after the hearing.
As of Monday afternoon, Brock had been remanded to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to begin his sentence while appeal notices are prepared. Prosecutors said they expect any appellate filings in the coming weeks. Authorities said they will release additional information about the scam investigation if new leads surface.
Author note: Last updated February 5, 2026.