A homicide investigation in suburban Downers Grove was underway Wednesday after a 30-year-old pregnant woman was found dead inside an apartment that had been set on fire, the Village of Downers Grove said, with a 19-year-old suspect facing multiple charges, including murder, arson and robbery.
Nedas Revuckas, 19, of Westmont, has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of Eliza Morales, 30, of Downers Grove. In addition to murder, Revuckas is facing robbery charges, homicide of an unborn child and animal cruelty. He is set to make his first court appearance Wednesday morning, authorities said.
About 6:09 p.m. Monday, police responded to Morales’ apartment building in the 2300 block of Ogden Ave. for reports of a structure fire. When they arrived, they found Morales, who was pregnant, with apparent sharp force trauma.
The family of a pregnant mother found dead with stab wounds in a suburban fire said they do not know the 19-year-old who was arrested in connection to the crime. NBC Chicago’s Randy Gyllenhaal reports.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
A second person at the scene was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to a nearby hospital, police added.
Family members told NBC Chicago that Morales, who was five months pregnant and has a 1-year-old daughter, was at home cooking dinner when she was attacked. The family added that none of them, including Morales, knew Revuckas.
Morales’ official cause and manner of death will be determined and released by the DuPage County Coroner’s Office, the village said.
According to the Village, the investigation is being conducted by the Downers Grove Police Department, DuPage COunty MERIT Task Force, DuPage COunty Arson Task Force and the Illinois State Fire Marshall.
No additional information was immediately available.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
