Jack Joseph Ball, age 23 of Lakeville, was charged* today with two counts of murder in the second-degree in connection with the death of his 30-year-old sister, Bethany Ann Israel and her unborn child, Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena announced.
According to the criminal complaint, on Thursday, May 23, family members were concerned about Ms. Israel as she hadn’t returned home after having dinner with her brother earlier that evening at a residence in Lakeville. A family member then drove to the residence and witnessed Mr. Ball quickly leave the scene.
After entering the home, the family member saw a significant amount of blood and immediately contacted authorities. Lakeville Police Department responded at approximately 11 p.m. where they found bloody knives and several dismembered body parts they believed to belong to Ms. Israel.
Shortly thereafter, while police were attempting to locate Mr. Ball in Rosemount, police received a 911 call from a Rosemount resident reporting they observed a man on a home security camera place what appeared to be a body part on their front step. Officers responded and after a brief search, Mr. Ball was located in the backyard of a neighboring home and taken into custody. Ball had an injury to his neck that looked to be self-inflicted and was transported to a local hospital.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death as a result of complex homicidal violence and confirmed Ms. Israel was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant.
“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.”
Keena thanked the Lakeville Police Department for its thorough investigation as well as the assisting agencies including the Apple Valley Police Department, Rosemount Police Department, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Mr. Ball appeared today in Dakota County District Court through video conferencing from the hospital. Bail was set in the amount of $2 million without conditions ($1 million with conditions) by Judge Bryce Ehrman. After Mr. Ball is medically cleared, he will be transferred to the Dakota County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 10 at 1:30 p.m. in Hastings.