How does a family react when both murderer and victim are siblings?
Jack Joseph Ball killed his pregnant sister, even dismembering her body.
His motive was unhinged. Their own mother discovered the horrific scene of the crime.
He has now pleaded guilty. What’s next?
This is an immensely upsetting crime
24-year-old Jack Joseph Ball has pleaded guilty to the murder of his pregnant older sister.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office announced his guilty plea to the premeditated first-degree murder of his sister and to the premeditated first-degree murder of an unborn child.
These pleas came on January 21 — over a full year after the grand jury indictment came down on January 9, 2025.
Initially, the charges also included two counts of intentional second-degree murder.
Reportedly, prosecutors agreed to drop the lesser charges and recommend a life sentence as part of Ball’s plea deal.
On May 23, 2024, Bethany Ann Israel went to visit her younger brother’s home for dinner.
She was 30 years old. And she was also between 17-18 weeks pregnant.
Several hours later, family members had not heard from her and grew concerned.
The mother of both Israel and Ball drove to his house to check on them. Ball apparently fled his own home upon his mother’s arrival.
Inside, their mother discovered a grisly scene.
No mother should have to see a gruesome scene like this
Their mother discovered a large amount of blood. She immediately dialed 911.
When first responders arrived at the scene, the investigation began.
Police uncovered both bloody knives and dismembered body parts.
Soon, another 911 call came in, this time from a neighbor.
The witness described seeing a man place a body part on his front steps.
When authorities located Ball, he was in the backyard of a nearby property. He had sliced his own neck to some degree.
The investigation discovered a journal in which Ball had written about his desire to kill his sister.
The alleged motive was because his 30-year-old sister was pregnant and therefore “no longer innocent.”
That may sound like someone who has fallen down some sort of fascist radicalization pipeline.
However, it also sounds like the mad ravings of someone who has lost touch with reality on multiple levels. (These are not mutually exclusive)
Life in prison seems likely, given the guilty plea
Indeed, the county attorney’s office confirms that Ball has asserted a mental illness defense.
If successful, it would mean that the court determines that he was, at that time, unable to form meaningful intent to commit a crime. (Placing a random body part on a neighbor’s porch could work for the defense, in that regard)
While most of the mentally ill are not dangerous and are more likely to be victims, there are rare but serious instances of mental illness leading to tragic violence.
Despite the plea and the prosecutor’s agreement, he has not yet been sentenced. He is facing a possible life sentence.
It sounds like he’ll be in court again on May 21. Perhaps the family will be able to find closure after that.