LAKEVILLE, Minn. — A 23-year-old man from Lakeville is charged with two counts of 2nd-degree murder after his sister and her unborn child were found dead on Thursday night.
Jack Joseph Ball was charged by the Dakota County Attorney on Tuesday.
According to a press release, family members were worried about 30-year-old Bethany Ann Israel after not hearing from her after a dinner with her brother on May 23. Lakeville police say a family member drove to Israel's home and saw her brother, Ball, quickly leaving the scene. The family member entered the home, saw a "significant" amount of blood and called police.
When Lakeville squads arrived at the house near 172nd Street and Encina Path around 11 p.m. they found a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor under the sink and sink cabinet, according to a criminal complaint. Officers said they found a bloody saw, hatchet and large bloody knives. As they moved through the house, police said they saw a knife on the living room floor near the staircase to the second level. As they searched, police found several dismembered body parts they believed belonged to Israel.
As law enforcement was searching for Ball in Rosemount, police received a 911 call from a Rosemount resident who saw a man on their security camera who appeared to place a body part on their front step.
Responding officers found Ball covered in blood in the backyard of a neighboring home and took him into custody. Police said Ball was suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury to his neck and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
While working the case, investigators found journals and other papers belonging to Ball where he wrote that he was angry Israel was pregnant and "no longer innocent," according to the complaint.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Israel's cause of death as complex homicidal violence. She was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant, officials said.
“The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and horrific — words can’t describe what our law enforcement partners encountered during the investigation,” said Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena. “My office will work hard to ensure the victims receive justice and will provide the necessary support for the victims’ family.”
During a virtual court appearance Tuesday, Ball's bail was set at $2 million without conditions or $1 million with conditions by Judge Bryce Ehrman. Ball will be transferred to the Dakota County Jail after he's medically cleared.
His next court appearance is scheduled for June 10.
Neighbors close to the home say their neighborhood is peaceful, adding that it feels like fiction.
"It's been difficult being right across from this," Steve Bond said. "I heard a scream."
"This is something you never, ever expect," Cindy Bond added. "It's been real hard."
Rosemount Police Chief Mikael Dahlstrom said Ball used to live in Rosemount, and his department has had previous interactions with him. Most recently, Dahlstrom says they responded to a mental health call for Ball in 2022.
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