Lakeville man convicted of murdering sister, her unborn child in 2024
A man from Lakeville, Minnesota, was found guilty Tuesday of murdering his sister and her unborn child over two years ago, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office.
Jack Joseph Ball, 25, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the attack on May 23, 2024, inside his Lakeville home that killed 30-year-old Beth Ann Israel. The criminal complaint states Israel, of Bloomington, was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant at the time.
Court documents state Israel went to her brother's residence on Encina Path for dinner, but family members called 911 after she didn't return. One of their relatives then drove by Ball's home and saw him leaving.
The relative walked into the home, where they saw a "significant amount of blood" and called police, according to the criminal complaint. An officer arrived at the scene and found "bloody knives and several dismembered body parts" inside.
Ball's vehicle was later spotted by police in Rosemount, and soon after a city resident reported seeing a man on his doorbell camera place what looked like a body part on his lawn.
Ball was found by police in a neighboring backyard, suffering from an apparent self-inflicted wound to his neck, court documents state.
The county attorney's office says Ball first pleaded guilty to the charges in January before unsuccessfully asserting "a defense of mental illness."
Ball is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday afternoon inside a Hastings courtroom. In Minnesota, second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
