Man dismembered pregnant sister in Lakeville home, 'horrific' charges detail
File photo police tape. (FOX 9)
LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man is accused of killing and dismembering his pregnant sister inside a Lakeville home.
Jack Joseph Ball, 23, of Lakeville, is facing charges of second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder of an unborn child in connection to the death of his 30-year-old sister, Bethany Ann Israel, court records show.
"The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and horrific — words can’t describe what our law enforcement partners encountered during the investigation," Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement. "My office will work hard to ensure the victims receive justice and will provide the necessary support for the victims’ family."
According to the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, Israel’s mother called 911 just after 11 p.m. on May 23, reporting that her daughter might be dead after finding a significant amount of blood in a house on the 1700 block of Encina Path.
At the scene, the woman told officers Israel had gone to the house earlier in the evening to have dinner with her brother, but after not hearing from her, she became concerned. The woman said she drove over to check on her daughter and reported seeing Ball leave the house, and then she found the blood inside.
Officers entered the home and reportedly discovered a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor in addition to a "bloody saw, hatchet, and large, bloody, knives," the complaint reads. Authorities reported finding "several dismembered body parts" in the home and located another bloody knife on the living room floor.
While searching the residence, law enforcement say they found several journals and documents allegedly belonging to Ball. In the writing, he reportedly expressed his anger that Israel was pregnant and "no longer innocent," the charges read.
As authorities searched for Ball, a Rosemount resident called 911 after reportedly seeing a man on their Ring camera placing what appeared to be a body part on the front step. Law enforcement responded to the area and found Ball in the backyard of a nearby residence.
Police noted he was "covered in blood" and appeared to have a "self-inflicted knife wound across his throat," charges read. He was transported to Regions Hospital where he remains hospitalized.
The criminal complaint said law enforcement searched the area and found several body parts in addition to what was recovered on the 911 caller’s front step.
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.
The judge set Ball's bail at $2 million without conditions and $1 million with conditions. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 10.