Suburban Chicago man charged in killing of pregnant mom in critical condition after jail incident

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - A 19-year-old suburban man charged in the murder of a pregnant mother who he allegedly stabbed 70 times is in critical condition from self-inflicted wounds, authorities said.

What we know:

According to the DuPage County Sheriff's Office, Nedas Revuckas suffered the injuries while locked up in the county jail on Thursday, just hours after he appeared in court for the first time.

The incident happened at around 4:54 p.m. and he was immediately treated by jail medical staff before being transported to a local hospital for treatment.

It remains unclear what exactly happened and the kind of injuries Revuckas sustained. Authorities only said he was in critical condition, the injuries appear to be self-inflicted, and that the investigation suggests no other individuals were involved.

The backstory:

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 court records, the husband of Eliza Morales listed a dark red 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck for sale on Facebook Marketplace on Jan. 24. Revuckas responded that same day, expressing interest in purchasing the vehicle.

Investigators said Revuckas traveled to the Morales residence to view the truck and later left with it. The pickup still had the Morales’ license plates attached.

Revuckas later arranged to meet at the couple’s apartment building in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue at around 5:10 p.m. Monday to return the plates and obtain a bill of sale.

What video shows:

Surveillance video from the apartment building shows Revuckas meeting Morales in the vestibule at 5:28 p.m., police said.

He briefly exited the building and was handed a tool by Morales before returning five minutes later. She escorted him into the apartment, and the door closed behind them. Revuckas appeared to be holding a shiny tool resembling a screwdriver behind his back, according to police.

At 5:47 p.m., the apartment door opened briefly with Revuckas standing in the doorway before closing again. Two minutes later, the door opened several inches and shut multiple times as Morales and Revuckas appeared to struggle inside. Police said the door handle turned from inside, suggesting someone was attempting to escape.

Smoke was seen coming from beneath the apartment door at 6:08 p.m. Firefighters received an alarm call a minute later. Morales' mother-in-law, who lives nearby, notified her husband of the fire while he was still at work.

Residents of the building were evacuated due to smoke and fire damage.

Responding firefighters found Morales near the apartment door. She was pronounced dead after being placed in an ambulance, according to court records.

The couple’s 2-year-old child was not home at the time of the fire. Their elderly pit bull mix that escaped through a sliding door during the fire had been stabbed between the eyes, authorities said.

Revuckas also admitted to kicking the dog. The animal was treated at a veterinary hospital.

Dig deeper:

Investigators determined Revuckas lived with his girlfriend in Westmont and located the pickup truck in the driveway of his residence. He was taken into custody at 11:42 p.m. Monday.

A search warrant executed Tuesday at his home uncovered boots and clothing with what appeared to be blood, authorities said.

Revuckas told detectives he was at the Morales' apartment to return the license plates and retrieve the bill of sale and claimed he left through the main entrance. Surveillance footage, however, did not show him exiting the building, according to court records.

In a later interview, Revuckas confessed to killing Morales, telling investigators he stabbed her 10 times. He said he was angry about the condition of the truck he had purchased and took out his frustration on her. During a struggle, Morales told him she was pregnant, authorities said.

Revuckas admitted starting the fire using items from the apartment and the kitchen stove. He told police he stacked household items on the stove and used chemicals and sanitizer as accelerants.

He also admitted taking Morales' phone, snapping it in half in his vehicle and throwing it from the car window near a Best Buy store near I-355 and Finley Road. He said he discarded the knife used in the attack near Highland and Butterfield roads.

Court records state Revuckas was crying at times while left alone in an interview room and later accompanied detectives to recover evidence.

He told investigators he changed his jacket and removed bloodied clothing at an Ace Hardware store at 63rd Street and Main Street, using bathroom cleaner in an attempt to remove blood. Police recovered a bag containing his clothing and fragments of Morales’ phone from a garbage can outside the store.

Investigators also found blood inside the pickup truck on the driver’s door and steering wheel, as well as $200 in cash on the driver’s seat, some of which was stained with blood.

Autopsy findings:

An autopsy conducted by the DuPage County Coroner found approximately 70 stab wounds, most inflicted by a knife. The coroner reported defensive injuries and said most wounds were to Morales’ head and neck. The preliminary cause of death was multiple sharp-force injuries, and soot was found in her airway.

The coroner also determined the preliminary cause of death included intrauterine fetal demise caused by Morales' injuries. She was five months pregnant.

Vaginal bruising was noted, and a sexual assault kit was conducted. Revuckas denied sexually assaulting Morales. However, prosecutors said not only was there bruising but that she had been burned down there.

What they're saying:

Morales' mother-in-law, Angelica Silva, said the attack was "pure evil."

"We're still in shock. It was a horrific violent crime committed," she said. "She fought for her life. She was stabbed to death. The apartment was lit on fire and she bled out and she burned with a baby inside of her. Pure evil."

"She was a smart mom. She was always eating healthy food, organic, always at the library with her babies. Always teaching them to be great adults like her but that was ripped away from her," Silva added.

First court appearance:

Revuckas was denied pre-trial release, as the judge called what happened a "violent, brutal unprovoked attack on a defenseless pregnant woman" and said the crime "shows how far he can be driven over such a trivial thing as a damaged truck."

"The state has proven he is a real and present danger… 70 stab wounds speaks volumes," the judge added, noting Revuckas had numerous opportunities to stop because Eliza put up such a fight.

Revuckas has no prior record and allegedly told police, "They sold me a broken car and I didn’t know what to do. All I wanted was to yell at someone. They sold me a f***ed up car."

His father and brother appeared at the hearing and had no comment.

The judge also said Revuckas put the community in danger by setting the building on fire.

At a news conference following the hearing, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said this was a "horrific act of violence."

"Violent crimes like this shake the community to its core, but the public should be reassured that in Downers Grove and in DuPage County, public safety remains a top priority," Berlin said.

In a separate written statement, Berlin said, "Eliza’s surviving family and friends have suffered a horrific loss and to them I offer my sincerest condolences and wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and support once provided by Eliza."

On Thursday afternoon, a Janaza Prayer was held at 12:50 p.m. at the American Muslim Cemetery in Lynwood, according to her family.

What's next:

Revuckas is due back in court for arraignment on Feb. 18.

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