A jury found him guilty Jan. 14 following a three-day trial of three counts of murder and single counts of felonious assault and kidnapping in the death of 61-year-old Lo-Letha “Letha” Toland-Hall of Dublin in suburban Columbus. She was shot six times around 11:20 a.m. March 25, 2024, in the driveway of Brock’s house in the 7000 block of South Charleston-Clifton Road in Madison Twp. and later died in surgery at a Kettering hospital.
Before sentencing Hall’s son, Mario Hall, gave a victim impact statement on the loss of this mother.
“Her warmth, wisdom, guidance are irreplaceable and will forever be missed. Every day since March 25, 2024, I have carried the grief that doesn’t go away,” he said. “I find myself replaying her last moments that have been broadcasted across the world in my mind, and ask myself, why? Why did this have to happen? … Her screams, pleading and asking for help have completely shifted me. Not only did this shatter my entire family, but it has left a hole in my heart that cannot be filled.
“There’s nothing like living life after losing the person who gave you life,” Hall said.
He spoke during the second half of Brock’s sentencing, which was halted Friday morning after his defense attorney Jon Paul Rion fainted in the courtroom.
In reaching Brock’s sentence, the court has no discretion, the judge said.
“I cannot increase the sentence. I cannot decrease the sentence,” Rastatter said. “That is the statutory penalty for these offenses.”
Brock plans to appeal his conviction to the Second District Court of Appeals, said Rion, who asked the judge to allow Brock to remain free on bond pending appeal.
“Justice delayed is sometimes justice denied,” said Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll. “In this case, the family’s waited almost two years to get to this point. Allowing the defendant to remain free on bond would revictimize this family. … I strongly, strongly object to it."
Rion countered that Brock’s murder case is unique and that he has no prior criminal history. Also, given his advanced age and health issues, “statistically, he may pass away” while waiting the six or nine months for the court to review his case.
“Literally, his sentence might be served before the court of appeals rules,” Rion said.
The lifelong farmer claimed self-defense in Hall’s death after she unknowingly played a part in the sophisticated scam, which demanded he pay $12,000 in cash, when she arrived at his house as part of her Uber job, saying she was there to collect a package. The scammers reportedly told Brock that he and his family would die if Hall did not call to say she had the money.
An FBI investigation into the scammers is ongoing.
A dashcam video from Hall’s black Acura shows her walking backwards, yelling for help as Brock said he would shoot her leg if she did not give him her cellphone. He then shot her leg and reportedly tried to prevent her from leaving. At one point during a scuffle Hall closed the car door on Brock’s head, which led him to suffer lacerations requiring stitches to his head and ear, before he shot her further times.
Credit: Springfield News Sun
Rastatter agreed that Brock is not a flight risk nor a danger to the community but overruled Rion’s request to allow him to remain on bond.
The defense can request an appeals bond, he said.
“It’s my confidence in this case that the conviction will be upheld,” Rastatter said.
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