A 37-year-old man from Runnells, Iowa, Jacob Harbold, has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison for the shooting death of his cousin, Richard David Selby, in June 2024. Harbold pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this month. The court ordered that Harbold serve at least 35 years before being eligible for parole and pay $150,000 in restitution to the victim’s estate.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2024, at the Selby family home in Polk County. Harbold had moved in with the Selby family in February 2024. Richard Selby had offered him a place to stay, a job at his construction company, and support after Harbold’s previous incarceration and substance abuse. During the sentencing hearing, Richard Selby’s wife, Jamie Selby, and their children gave victim impact statements about Richard’s support for his cousin.
On the day of the shooting, law enforcement officers from Polk County and Pleasant Hill responded to the scene. They found Richard Selby dead in his bed from gunshot wounds. Jamie Selby described finding Harbold in the hallway after the shooting. Brianna Selby, the victim’s daughter, said she saw Harbold holding her father’s handgun…