Man charged with shooting, killing mother and aunt at New Sewickley home found dead in jail
NEW SEWICKLEY, Pa. (KDKA) — The man accused of shooting and killing his mother and aunt inside a New Sewickley Township home in June was found dead in the Beaver County Jail on July 7.
On July 10, Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier will dismiss the homicide case against Benjamin Selby, the 43-year-old accused of shooting and killing his mother, 71-year-old Delores Selby, and his aunt, 65-year-old Mary Lihosit, at a home off Klein Road on June 24.
"Our role is to prosecute based on facts, and in this case, there won't be a prosecution because the suspect is deceased," Lozier said during a July 7 press conference.
A cousin called 911 on June 24 after hearing shots fired and finding a relative dead inside the house. SWAT teams responded after Selby barricaded himself in the bedroom of the house where he lived with his mom and his grandmother. Eventually, police forced their way inside and Selby surrendered, apparently armed with a semi-automatic rifle.
Lozier said Selby was in isolation when he died on July 7. Lozier said Selby had been in isolation for at least several days and jail guards were required to check on him every 15 minutes. One of them came across Selby around 8:30 a.m. on July 7.
"He was slumped over and there was fluid under his wheelchair. So they went in, they could not rouse him," Lozier said.
The DA said the fluid was not blood, and he said Selby was in a wheelchair due to what he believed was a motorcycle accident years ago.
While in jail, Selby refused help from officers to move him to his bunk and refused to take medications.
"Him sitting in the wheelchair was not unusual. Him appearing to be sleeping in the wheelchair was not unusual," Lozier said.
Medics performed life-saving measures until the coroner pronounced Selby dead just after 10 a.m. on July 7.
"There was no obvious indication of trauma or of suicide," Lozier said.
County detectives are investigating and reviewing jail and medical records. Lozier said there's no evidence indicating drug use. Results from the autopsy will take six to eight weeks.
In the meantime, he recognizes the impact this case has had on the family.
"There's often a great deal of turmoil when a family or some family members, they side with one side or the other, or some of them are just split on their feelings here," Lozier said.
Family told KDKA-TV this is a tragic end on top of more family tragedy, and that they appreciate everyone's prayers.
Lozier said his office will provide counseling for families in these situations.
Selby's death marks the first death at the jail in at least two years.