Judge gavel, scales of justice and law books in court. (Brian A. Jackson/South Florida Sun Sentinel) (Getty Images)
LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The man accused of dismembering his pregnant sister in Lakeville was indicted Friday on first-degree murder charges in relation to the May 2024 death.
First-degree murder for murder of pregnant sister
What we know:
Jack Joseph Ball, 23, was indicted by a grand jury on premeditated first-degree murder, intentional second-degree murder, premeditated first-degree murder of an unborn child and intentional second-degree murder of an unborn child.
Ball's bail is set at $2 million without conditions and $1 million with conditions.
The backstory:
Ball is accused of dismembering and killing his pregnant sister, 30-year-old Bethany Ann Israel, in May 2024.
On May 23, Israel's mother called 911 saying her daughter might be dead after finding a large amount of blood in a home on the 1700 block of Ecina Path in Lakeville.
Israel's mother told officers that Israel had gone to the house to have dinner with her brother, Ball, and became concerned after not hearing from her. The woman then drove over to the home to check on Israel and reportedly saw Ball leave the house - she then found the blood inside.
According to the charges, officers found a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor in addition to a "bloody saw, hatchet, and large, bloody, knives."
Authorities reported finding "several dismembered body parts" in the home and located another bloody knife on the living room floor.
During a search of the house, authorities found several journals and documents allegedly belonging to Ball. In those, Ball expressed his anger that Israel was pregnant and "no longer innocent," the charges read.
Ball was eventually found by authorities in the backyard of a residence after receiving a 911 caller reporting seeing a man on their Ring camera placing a body part on the front step.
After responding to the area, officers eventually found Ball in the backyard of a residence "covered in blood" and a "self-inflicted knife wound across his throat," court documents said. Several body parts were found in the area.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Israel’s cause of death as "complex homicidal violence," and her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
She was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, according to court records.
What's next:
Ball had his first court appearance Friday. His next court appearance is Jan. 29.
The Source: Dakota County court documents and previous FOX 9 reporting.