Prosecutors Seek Enhanced 'Brutal And Heinous' Sentence In Murder Of Pregnant Woman

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin called the murder of Eliza Morales, 30, of Downers Grove, a "horrific act of violence," and said prosecutors will seek a brutal and heinous enhancement sentence for Nedas Revuckas, 19.

Revuckas is accused of stabbing the five-months-pregnant Morales 70 times, killing her and her unborn child, before setting fire to the Morales home and stabbing the family's dog between the eyes. He has been denied pretrial release.

The petition to deny pretrial release indicates Revuckas attacked Morales because he was unhappy with the condition of a 1994 Ford Ranger he bought from her and her husband on Facebook Marketplace.

Revuckas was arrested late Monday at a home on Spruce Lane in Westmont after police spotted the truck the Moraleses had sold them in the driveway. Prosecutors say police found boots with "apparent blood" on them when they executed a search warrant of the home. They also reported finding blood on the driver's side door and steering wheel of the truck, which prosecutors said Revuckas drove home after the murder.

According to Berlin, police found bloody clothing, pieces of Eliza Morales's phone, her work lanyard and her husband's debit card discarded in the trash of an Ace Hardware store at 63rd and Main Street.

"[T]he response in this case, from law enforcement, was overwhelming," Berlin said.

Downers Grove Police Chief Michael Devries fought back tears as he recounted parts of the investigation to reporters, saying his police force had "someone watching over them" to help ensure a fast arrest following the murder.

"As a police chief, this is the worst call that you can get," Devries said.

Firefighters were called to the Morales residence in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue around 6:10 p.m. Monday for a report of a fire. When they got to the scene, they found Morales inside the apartment with sharp force wounds.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutors say Revuckas used household cleaning chemicals to start the fire, which is believed to have been started on the stove and front door of the home.

The apartment building's other residents were temporarily displaced as a result of the fire.

Berlin said Dupage County's crime lab is reviewing a physical evidence recovery kit to see if Morales had been sexually assaulted, since her body was found with vaginal bruising.

According to prosecutors, the Moraleses had "inadvertently" left their license plates on truck the Revuckas bought, which prompted him to return to the home to exchange plates and get a bill of sale. He is accused of fleeing the scene of Morales's murder in the same truck.

Revuckas was charged with six counts of first-degree murder with intent to cause death or great bodily harm, as well as armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated cruelty to animals.

He is set to appear in court again Feb. 18.

Morales leaves behind a husband and young child, who were not home at the time of the attack.

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

He added, "We will use every available resource in this county to bring a full measure of justice to the victim."