Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Murder After Killing Sleeping Mother in Road Rage Shooting as Her 4-Year-Old Daughter Watched
DAYTON, OHIO — A 24-year-old Ohio man could spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to murder and multiple counts of felonious assault for a 2024 road rage shooting that killed a mother as she slept beside her 4-year-old daughter.
According to Montgomery County court records, Noah Messiah Corbitt pleaded guilty this week to one count of murder by felonious assault, four counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of discharging a firearm near prohibited premises — each carrying a firearm enhancement.
Fatal Road Rage Sparked by Years-Old Grudge
Prosecutors said the shooting on September 21, 2024, was the violent end to a longstanding dispute over a failed gun sale. Years earlier, Corbitt had paid a man $200 for a firearm, but the deal fell apart — and the two hadn’t crossed paths until they later became co-workers at an Amazon facility.
During a late-night shift, Corbitt confronted the man about the old debt. The victim reportedly tried to defuse the situation, telling Corbitt he didn’t want to fight because “he didn’t want them to lose their jobs.”
By early morning, both men had left work — Corbitt following the other man’s car in his blue Chevrolet Impala. The victim got a ride from 26-year-old Jermea Lyle, who was driving her silver Nissan Altima with her 4-year-old daughter asleep in the backseat.
Mother Shot as She Slept Beside Her Daughter
As the Altima merged onto Interstate 35 westbound, Corbitt allegedly fired a single 9mm hollow point round through the trunk of the car. The bullet passed through the back seat and struck Lyle, who had been asleep next to her child.
“Lyle awoke and indicated that she had been hit,” prosecutors wrote. “The driver saw a blue Chevy Impala speeding off the exit at Germantown Street.”
The bullet pierced Lyle’s back, lung, and heart, killing her instantly. Her daughter, whose head was resting on her mother’s lap, was unharmed — though police said the bullet’s path passed within two feet of the child’s car seat.
‘Warning Shot’ Defense Rejected by Investigators
Police recovered the bullet from the driver’s seat and later executed a search warrant at Corbitt’s home, finding a 9mm Taurus pistol and matching ammunition. A ballistics report confirmed it was the same weapon used in the shooting.
In an interview, Corbitt claimed he fired a “warning shot” out of his window, saying his gun jammed afterward. But investigators rejected that account, citing physical evidence and trajectory data showing the shot was aimed directly at the Altima.
Facing 50 Years to Life in Prison
Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. condemned the killing, saying:
“This defendant shot at another vehicle because of a dispute over money, killing a completely innocent young mother and leaving a precious 4-year-old girl without her mom. He has absolutely no respect for the lives or safety of others.”
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped two counts but recommended a sentence of 50 years to life in prison. Corbitt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14.
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