Inset, top to bottom: Neda Revuckas (Downers Grove Police) and Eliza Morales (WLS). Background: Neighbors gathered at the apartment building where Revuckas allegedly killed Morales (WLS).
An Illinois teenager, age 19, faces serious charges after allegedly murdering a pregnant mother, stabbing her 70 times, and setting her residence ablaze. The incident reportedly stemmed from his dissatisfaction with a truck he intended to purchase from the victim and her husband via Facebook Marketplace.
Nedas Revuckas has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated arson, and the intentional homicide of an unborn child, following the death of Eliza Morales, authorities revealed.
Investigators allege that after the brutal attack on 30-year-old Morales, who was six months pregnant and expecting her second daughter, Revuckas also attacked the family dog, inflicting a head injury. This act resulted in an added charge of aggravated animal cruelty.
The Village of Downers Grove issued a statement detailing that at 6:10 p.m. on Monday, police and fire services were dispatched to an apartment complex on the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue following reports of a fire. Upon arrival, they discovered Morales, who had sustained numerous sharp-force injuries.
Despite efforts by paramedics at the scene, Morales succumbed to her injuries and was declared deceased. Another individual received on-scene medical attention and was subsequently transported to Good Samaritan Hospital.
According to court documents reviewed by CBS Chicago affiliate WBBM, further insights emerged regarding the circumstances leading to Morales’s tragic death. Prosecutors alleged that Morales and her husband, her high school sweetheart, were in the process of selling a truck to Revuckas through Facebook Marketplace. Revuckas had already taken possession of the truck and was visiting the couple’s home to finalize the transaction by collecting the bill of sale and returning the license plates.
While Revuckas was at the front door, he and Morales reportedly got into a physical altercation. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Revuckas trying to get into Morales’ apartment as she struggled to keep him out. A short while after getting inside, Revuckas stabbed Morales 70 times, killing her and her unborn child.
After the stabbing, Revuckas allegedly stabbed the couple’s dog between the eyes, then doused the kitchen in chemicals and set it aflame. The dog reportedly ran away from the apartment and is currently in the care of a local veterinarian.
The couple’s 1-year-old daughter was not at home during the attack.
Following his arrest, Revuckas allegedly admitted to the attack, telling detectives he was angry about the condition of the truck and “decided to take out his frustration on Eliza,” local ABC affiliate WLS reported.
Her husband, identified by WLS as Gabriel Morales, said he was at work when he received a call informing him that his wife, who worked in the payroll department at a children’s hospital, and unborn child had died.
“I’m gonna spend the rest of my life missing her,” he told the station, adding that he will “just continue to try to live through her for my daughter and continue to be strong for my family.”
