LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The man accused of killing and dismembering his pregnant sister inside a Lakeville home and leaving some of her remains in a Rosemount neighborhood has been found guilty of first-degree murder after a judge rejected his mental illness defense.
Jack Ball found guilty
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Jack Joseph Ball, 25, was found guilty Tuesday in connection with the May 2024 death of his sister, Bethany Ann Israel, and her unborn child.
The verdict followed a two-phase court trial in Dakota County.
During the first phase, Ball pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, in exchange for the dismissal of two second-degree murder charges.
In the second phase, Ball asserted a mental illness defense, but the judge determined he did not meet the burden of proof for that defense.
Judge rejects mental illness defense
What they're saying:
In the court’s findings, the judge determined Ball knew he was committing a crime and understood his actions were wrong.
Court documents filed on Tuesday describe how Ball allegedly spent months planning the murder, deliberately arranged for his sister to visit his home when they would be alone and hid weapons within the house before she arrived.
"In his journals, [Ball] fantasized repeatedly about killing, dismembering, along with engaging in necrophilia and cannibalism," the judge wrote. "[Ball] explained later that he enjoyed the process of journaling as it helped him think things through. This is evident by the detailed plans for murder that are found in his journals and the fact that he acted in accordance with those plans on May 23, 2024."
The ruling acknowledged Ball's diagnoses of mental illness and autism spectrum disorder but concluded they did not meet the legal standard for the defense.
"The evidence overwhelmingly establishes that [Ball] understood the wrongfulness of the act when he killed Ms. Israel and her unborn child," the judge wrote.
What happened on the night of the killing?
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, Bethany Ann Israel, 30, went to her brother's home in Lakeville for dinner on May 23, 2024.
After not hearing from her daughter, Israel's mother became concerned and drove to the home to check on her. She reported seeing Ball leave the house before discovering a significant amount of blood inside.
Court documents detail what officers reportedly found inside the home, including a large pool of blood in the kitchen, in addition to a "bloody saw, hatchet, and large, bloody, knives." Law enforcement also discovered "several dismembered body parts" in the home and located another bloody knife on the living room floor.
Investigators found several journals and documents believed to belong to Ball. In the writing, he reportedly expressed anger over Israel’s pregnancy and described her as "no longer innocent," the charges read.
As authorities searched for Ball, a Rosemount resident called 911 after seeing a man on a doorbell camera placing what appeared to be a body part on their front step.
Officers later found Ball in the backyard of a nearby residence, covered in blood and suffering from an apparent self-inflicted knife wound to his throat. Additional human remains were recovered in the area, according to court records.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office determined Israel's cause of death was "complex homicidal violence." Court documents state she was approximately 17 to 18 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Jack Ball to face sentencing
What's next:
Ball’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
A first-degree murder conviction carries a sentence of life in prison.
The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting and Dakota County court records.