Ohio Man Sentenced After “Scare” Shot Killed Sleeping Mother Next to Her 4-Year-Old Daughter on Highway, Deputies Say
DAYTON, OHIO — An Ohio man who opened fire on a vehicle during what he claimed was a “scare” shot has been sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 21 years, after the bullet killed a 26-year-old mother who was resting her head in her daughter’s lap as they left their overnight shift.
Investigators Say Old Argument Led to Deadly Highway Shooting
According to prosecutors, 24-year-old Noah Messiah Corbitt followed a co-worker onto Interstate 35 on the morning of Sept. 21, 2024, after a long-simmering dispute over a failed gun sale resurfaced during their shift at an Amazon facility in Vandalia.
Authorities say that years earlier, Corbitt paid the man $200 for a gun he never received, and the resentment escalated once they unexpectedly became co-workers.
Both men left work between 6:30 and 7 a.m., with Corbitt following the victim’s vehicle — driven by Jermea Lyle, who had just finished her own night shift.
At the time of the shooting, Lyle was sleeping in the back seat, her head resting on her daughter’s lap.
When Corbitt pulled up alongside the vehicle, he fired once out of his driver’s window.
The bullet tore through the car’s trunk, the backseat, and then struck Lyle in the back, exiting through her chest.
She was rushed to Miami Valley Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly after.
Bullet Missed 4-Year-Old’s Car Seat by Less Than Two Feet
Court documents described a chilling scene: the bullet’s trajectory came within two feet of the child’s car seat.
Detectives later recovered a hollow-point round lodged in the driver’s seat, having passed through Lyle’s body.
Her driver told investigators he saw a blue Chevy Impala — Corbitt’s vehicle — speed off the exit ramp immediately after the gunshot.
Authorities then connected Corbitt to:
- A 9 mm Taurus pistol
- A magazine with matching hollow-point rounds
- The blue Impala captured on witness accounts
Ballistics confirmed Corbitt’s weapon fired the fatal shot.
Corbitt Claimed It Was a Warning Shot — Prosecutors Disagreed
In a police interview, Corbitt admitted he fired the weapon, claiming he only intended to scare his co-worker.
“Per defendant, he fired the shot left-handed out of his driver’s side window as a warning shot,” investigators wrote.
Corbitt insisted he did not know a mother and small child were in the car.
But prosecutors argued Corbitt’s remorse “lacked legitimacy,” stating the shooting was reckless, intentional, and rooted in anger.
Defense attorneys emphasized Corbitt’s role as a father to a young child and argued he deeply regretted the tragedy.
Still, the court upheld the agreed-upon sentence: life with parole eligibility after 21 years, with credit for time served.
Victim Remembered as Loving Mother; Family Demands Justice
The victim’s family described 26-year-old Jermea Lyle as a hardworking mother who adored her daughter.
Her older daughter remains deeply shaken after witnessing the aftermath of the shooting from inches away.
Prosecutor Mat Heck called the killing:
“A senseless shooting that took the life of a completely innocent young mother and left her 4-year-old girl without her mom.”
The case has drawn significant attention as another example of small disputes escalating into deadly violence — with a child left behind to live with the trauma.
Stories like Jermea’s are heartbreaking reminders of how quickly violence can destroy families and futures. For more human-centered news, community stories, and important updates, keep reading ChicagoMusicGuide.com.