Man charged in Downers Grove apartment fire that killed pregnant woman due in court

Man charged in Downers Grove apartment fire that killed pregnant woman due in court

A 19-year-old man is set to appear in court today for a detention hearing in connection with a Downers Grove apartment fire that killed a pregnant woman.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. - A 19-year-old man is set to appear in court today for a detention hearing in connection with a Downers Grove apartment fire that killed a pregnant woman.

Nedas Revuckas faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child and aggravated cruelty to animals, according to Downers Grove police. 

Prosecutors allege the murder charge includes intent to kill or cause great bodily harm, as well as a killing committed during a forcible felony.

The backstory:

The charges stem from a fire reported around 6:09 p.m. Monday in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue, where firefighters found 30-year-old Eliza Morales suffering from apparent sharp force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The DuPage County Coroner will determine the official cause and manner of death.

A second person was treated for smoke inhalation and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital. 

What they're saying:

Tom Duff, who lives nearby, said he had just gotten home when he heard fire alarms.

"There was probably 12 to 14 fire trucks out here last night, so we all had to get evacuated," Duff said. "They were out here for quite a while, then the police showed up later on. There was some speculation going on that somebody had died from the fire."

The case remains under investigation by multiple agencies, including the DuPage County MERIT and Arson task forces and the Illinois State Fire Marshal.

What you can do:

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Downers Grove Police Department at (630) 434-5600.