Betty Selby

In Ellicott City, Maryland, Joseph and Betty Selby were known as pillars of their community. Joseph, 56, was the longtime manager of the beloved Enchanted Forest, a fairytale-themed amusement park on Route 40 that was a cherished destination for generations of families. He was a hard worker, so dedicated to his craft that he had reportedly studied under Walt Disney in California. His employees and community members remembered him as a man who gave many local young people their first jobs. Betty, a 51-year-old woman, had been married to Joseph for nearly 40 years, and together they had built a life with three children and several grandchildren. They were seen as kind, generous people without any known enemies.

The evening of Friday, March 6, 1981, began uneventfully for the couple. After a long work week, they met friends for drinks at a local restaurant, the Friendly Inn on Frederick Road. Their plan was to go home for a short nap and then return to the inn later that night to enjoy a bluegrass band they loved. They made it home to their house at 12102 Frederick Road, but they would never make it back to the restaurant. At approximately 9:40 p.m., while the Selbys were asleep in their bedroom, an arsonist deliberately set their house on fire. Both Betty and her husband Joseph died from smoke inhalation, their lives cut short in what should have been the safety of their own home.

The Howard County Police Department investigation soon uncovered a tragic theory: the Selbys were not the intended targets. Detectives believe the horrific act was a case of mistaken identity, stemming from a grudge held against a different member of the Selby family. The story began years earlier, in 1975, when the couple's nephew, Johnny Selby, was involved in a serious bar fight at a place called Otis' Hideaway in Mt. Airy. Johnny was stabbed multiple times but survived. His attacker was convicted and spent a few years in prison. Upon his release, investigators believe, the man set out for revenge, intending to set fire to Johnny Selby's home.

The fatal mistake, police theorize, came down to a simple mailbox. The arsonist, looking for Johnny Selby's residence on Frederick Road, came across a mailbox that read "J.N. Selby." Believing he had found his target, he set the house ablaze. But the initials stood for Joseph Nicholas Selby Jr., not John Selby. The home of the intended target was just a mile down the road. Howard County Police noted that it should have been obvious to the perpetrator that the home was occupied at the time of the fire.

For decades, the case grew cold, leaving the Selby family haunted by the senseless loss. "I don't see any reason why any of this should have happened," their daughter-in-law, Fran Selby, said in a video released by police. "It's still a mystery." Their son, Joe Selby III, recalled the night of the fire with pain, remembering the fire marshal telling him two people were inside. "I just about collapsed," he said. The couple's grandson, Joe Selby IV, was not yet six years old and was supposed to have been at his grandparents' house that very night. "There's things in your mind that you'll never erase," he shared, "like the smells of fire. I'll never forget that."

The investigation is now in the hands of the Howard County Police Department's cold case unit. Detective Wade Zufall, who keeps the Selbys' scorched mailbox above his desk as a daily reminder, has been actively working the case. In March 2025, investigators announced they had recovered DNA from evidence and were awaiting test results. At that time, police stated they believed the suspects were still alive, with one possibly living in Mount Airy and another in Tennessee. "They were important people in the community," Detective Zufall said. "We're just hoping... that some of these people would have the courage to finally come forward."

As of May 2026, the double homicide of Betty and Joseph Selby remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made. The family continues to hope for answers and justice for the couple who never got to see their children and grandchildren grow up. The Howard County Police Department is offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information that leads to a resolution in the case. Anyone with information is urged to call 410-313-STOP or email [email protected].