Left inset: Jack Ball (Dakota County Sheriff's Office). Right inset: Bethany Ann Israel and her husband Josh Israel (GoFundMe). Background: Authorities at the Minnesota home where Bethany Israel's brother, Jack Ball, killed and dismembered her (KSTP/YouTube).
A 24-year-old man in Minnesota has admitted to killing his pregnant sister before dismembering her body and scattering pieces of her remains in several different locations because her pregnancy meant she was "no longer innocent."
Jack Joseph Ball, of Lakeville, pleaded guilty last week to premeditated first-degree murder and premeditated first-degree murder of an unborn child for the death of his 30-year-old sister Bethany Ann Israel and her baby, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office. Prosecutors have recommended that Ball serve a life sentence as part of the plea deal.
According to the DA's office, Ball had "asserted a defense of mental illness" before entering his guilty plea. He had been facing second-degree murder charges, as well, which have been dropped.
A grand jury indicted Ball in January 2025, with prosecutors outlining in a press release how "several tools and large knives, all covered in blood, and several dismembered body parts" were found inside Ball's home in Lakeville, which is located about 23 miles south of Minneapolis.
Israel "went to have dinner" at Ball's residence but was unable to be reached by family members after several hours passed, according to the DA's office.
Their mother drove to Ball's residence "to check on" the siblings and she witnessed Ball "tear out of the house," per prosecutors. The mom entered the home and saw a large amount of blood and immediately called 911.
Officers went to the residence and observed a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor under the sink and blood on the sink cabinets. Additionally, they observed a "bloody saw, hatchet, and large, bloody, knives," according to court documents cited by prosecutors. As they continued moving through the house, they saw a knife on the living room floor near the staircase that led to the second floor. Officers found several dismembered body parts.
"Shortly thereafter, 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," the DA's office said. "After a brief search, Ball was located in the backyard of a neighboring home. He had a self-inflicted injury to his neck and was transported to a local hospital."
Ball was transported to the hospital for treatment and then taken into custody.
Investigators said they found "several journals" in Ball's handwriting in which he said he was "angry" at his sister because she was "pregnant and 'no longer innocent,'" according to prosecutors.
"The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and horrific — words can't describe what our law enforcement partners encountered during the investigation," Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement. "My office will work hard to ensure the victims receive justice and will provide the necessary support for the victims' family."
A GoFundMe launched by Israel's family describes how she was a "cherished wife, daughter, sister, and an expectant mother" who had a "radiant spirit and unwavering kindness."
Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.