A Minnesota man, aged 24, has confessed to the brutal murder of his pregnant sister, claiming her pregnancy rendered her “no longer innocent.” The gruesome crime involved dismembering her body and distributing the remains across various sites.

Jack Joseph Ball, hailing from Lakeville, entered a guilty plea last week to charges of premeditated first-degree murder and first-degree murder of an unborn child, following the death of his 30-year-old sister, Bethany Ann Israel, and her unborn baby. The Dakota County Attorney’s Office stated that prosecutors are advocating for a life sentence as part of the plea arrangement.

Initially, Ball claimed a defense of mental illness before conceding his guilt. He was also facing charges of second-degree murder, which have since been dismissed.

Ball was indicted by a grand jury in January 2025. Prosecutors detailed in a press release that investigators discovered “several tools and large knives, all stained with blood,” along with dismembered body parts, within Ball’s Lakeville home, approximately 23 miles south of Minneapolis.

Israel reportedly went to Ball’s house for dinner but became unreachable, prompting concern among her family after several hours, as noted by 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.”