Lakeville Man, 23, Dismembered His Pregnant Sister: Police

LAKEVILLE, MN — A 23-year-old Lakeville man is accused of dismembering his pregnant sister.

Jack Joseph Ball was charged Tuesday with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the death of his 30-year-old sister, Bethany Ann Israel, and her unborn child.

Ball appeared today in Dakota County District Court through video conferencing from the hospital.

His bail was set at $2 million without conditions, and $1 million with conditions, by Judge Bryce Ehrman.

Once Ball is medically cleared, he will be transferred to the Dakota County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 10.

"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 in a statement.

"My office will work hard to ensure the victims receive justice and will provide the necessary support for the victims’ family."

On May 23, family members were concerned about Israel, who hadn’t returned home after having dinner with her brother earlier that evening at a residence in Lakeville.

A family member drove to the residence and watched as Ball quickly left the scene, authorities said.

After entering the home, the family member saw a significant amount of blood and immediately called police.

Lakeville officers responded at about 11 p.m., where they found bloody knives and several dismembered body parts they believed to belong to Israel, according to investigators.

While police were looking for Ball, officers received a 911 call from a Rosemount resident who said a man on a home security camera placed what appeared to be a body part on their front step, according to authorities.

Officers responded and after a brief search, found Ball in the backyard of a neighboring home and taken into custody, police said.

Ball had an injury to his neck that looked to be self-inflicted and was transported to a local hospital, according to investigators.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was a result of complex homicidal violence and confirmed Israel was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant, authorities said.