An 81-year-old Ohio man is charged with murder after he shot and killed a female Uber driver who he mistakenly believed was working with a fraudster and attempting to extort him, based on the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
According to a criminal criticism, William Brock shot Loletha Hall multiple times outside his South Charleston home on March 25. Hall was taken to an area hospital where she died.
According to a news release from the sheriff's office, Brock told police that before the shooting, he received threatening calls from a male caller who claimed certainly one of Brock's relatives was in jail.
The caller then asked Brock to wire money for the relative's bail, and when Brock resisted, the caller threatened to harm him and his family.
When Hall, 61, arrived at Brock's apartment in her Uber, he shot her several times, the discharge said.
Brock believed Hall had a connection to the fraudulent caller and was going to kill him and his family, as indicated by a 911 call he made after shooting her, authorities said.
Police released dashcam video from Hall's vehicle showing Brock confronting them outside his home.
“A terrible tragedy”
According to the press release, Hall received a request via the Uber app to select up a package at Brock's apartment. Authorities imagine she was “unfamiliar with the circumstances” surrounding the request.
Hall arrived in her Uber and dashcam video from her automotive shows her getting out of the automotive to confer with Brock.
According to the press release, she made no further demands of Brock aside from asking for the package she was purported to pick up.
Brock was arrested and charged with murder because police didn’t perceive an lively threat from Hall throughout the encounter and Brock did not call authorities for help, the sheriff's office said.
Brock pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and posted $200,000 bail on Wednesday, based on court documents.
CNN has reached out to Hall's family and Brock's defense attorney Paul Kavanagh for comment.
Uber is in touch with Hall's family and law enforcement, the corporate said. “This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts continue to be with Loletha's loved ones as they mourn,” an Uber spokesperson said in an announcement to CNN.
“We are in contact with law enforcement and remain committed to supporting their investigation.”
Uber suspended the account of the one that ordered Hall's Uber to Brock's house, the corporate said. According to the press release, authorities imagine the person was either the unique fraudster or an accomplice.
The company says it’s committed to the security of Uber drivers and has developed safety features including an in-app emergency button, route sharing features and the power to attach with a live safety agent.
It is unclear whether authorities have identified the owner of the account or made any further arrests.
CNN has reached out to the Clark County Sheriff's Office for more information.
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