Charges filed in fatal stabbing of pregnant woman found after apartment fire in Downers Grove

A man was charged after a pregnant woman was stabbed and died in an apartment fire on Monday evening.

Downers Grove police announced on Tuesday that 19-year-old Nedas Revuckas of Westmont, Illinois, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder with intent to cause death or great bodily harm, armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated cruelty to animals.

Police said officers and the Downers Grove Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment building in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue just after 6 p.m. on Monday.

Firefighters pulled a 30-year-old pregnant woman, identified by police as Eliza Morales, from the fire and found she had suffered stab wounds. Paramedics tried to help her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.  

Her family said Morales was a loving and humble mom. She had a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, was five months pregnant with her second daughter, and was married to her high school sweetheart.

They said she worked at Lurie Children's Hospital in their payroll department and was going to school.

The family said she was cooking in her apartment when an attacker somehow came inside and stabbed her. They said they do not know Revuckas.

An autopsy to determine the cause of death will be conducted by the DuPage County Coroner's Office at a later time, police said. 

A second person was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and then taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for further treatment, police said.

Neighbors said they were heartbroken to hear about the incident. One neighbor had to evacuate his home, and some are still displaced from the fire due to smoke damage. 

"I was like, oh my god, so I put my clothes back on. When I came out here, there must have been 13 to 15 fire trucks out here, actually smoke was pouring out that door. So yeah, it was just chaotic," said Tom Duff.

He said he didn't know the woman, but it appeared that she had a husband living with her.

Police said Revuckas will be taken to the DuPage County Jail and will attend first appearance court for a detention hearing on Wednesday.     

An investigation by police, the DuPage County MERTI Task Force, DuPage County Arson Task Force, and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is ongoing.

The family said they plan to have a candlelight vigil for Morales in the coming days.