Case Overview
Nedas Revuckas, a 19-year-old from Westmont, Illinois, faces charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated cruelty to animals in the death of 30-year-old Eliza Morales. The attack occurred on January 26, 2026, at her apartment in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, stemming from frustration over a truck he bought from Morales and her husband via Facebook Marketplace. Morales, six months pregnant with her second daughter, was stabbed 70 times (mostly to head and chest), and the family’s dog was stabbed between the eyes before Revuckas set the kitchen ablaze with chemicals and household items.
Incident Details
Police and firefighters responded to a structure fire at 6:10 p.m. on Monday, finding Morales with multiple stab wounds; she died at the scene despite treatment. Surveillance video captured Revuckas struggling to enter as Morales resisted at the door. After gaining entry, he stabbed her and the dog, started fires near the kitchen and front door, then fled—discarding her phone near a Best Buy and the knife near Highland Avenue. The couple’s 1-year-old daughter was safely elsewhere; the injured dog escaped and is under veterinary care.
Investigation and Confession
Revuckas was arrested Tuesday and admitted to detectives he was angry about the truck’s condition, saying he “decided to take out his frustration on Eliza.” During the assault, Morales mentioned her pregnancy. Her husband, Gabriel—a high school sweetheart working at the time—was devastated, vowing to live on for their surviving daughter. A vigil drew family mourning her as a “sweetheart” who fought fiercely; prosecutors seek pretrial detention, citing overwhelming evidence, with his hearing postponed to Thursday, January 30, 2026.
This parallels the prior Missouri case in its brutality—stabbing, arson, domestic-linked rage—but ties to a Marketplace dispute rather than a relationship. Under Illinois law, first-degree murder with a fetus involved carries 35-75 years or life; arson and animal cruelty add decades. A GoFundMe supports the family.
