An Ohio man, 81, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder after he shot a female Uber driver he mistakenly believed was working with a scammer and attempting to extort him.
William Brock shot Loletha Hall several times outside his South Charleston home on last month, according to a criminal complaint. Hall was taken to a local hospital where she died.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, Brock told police that before the shooting, he had received threatening phone calls from a male caller who claimed his relative was in jail.
The caller demanded money for the relative’s bond, but when Brock refused, the caller threatened to harm him and his family.
Hall, 61, arrived in her Uber at Brock’s residence after receiving a request to retrieve a package, unaware of circumstances surrounding the request, and ended getting shot multiple times by Brock.
According to 911 call he made after shooting her, Brock believed that she had a connection to the scam caller and would kill him and his family.
Police released dashcam video obtained from Hall’s vehicle of Brock confronting her outside his home.
Brock pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder and posted his $200,000 bond on Wednesday, according to court documents.
Uber has been in contact with Hall’s family and law enforcement, the company said, adding that the account of the individual who ordered Hall’s Uber to Brock’s house.
It’s unclear if the account owner has been identified or if any additional arrests have been made, but authorities believe that the individual was either the original scam caller or an accomplice.
