Man Accused of Stabbing Pregnant Mother 70 Times Over Facebook Marketplace Dispute
He is now in Jail
Man Accused of Stabbing Pregnant Mother 70 Times Over Facebook Marketplace Dispute Now in Critical Condition After Suicide Attempt
DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS — Nineteen-year-old Nedas Revuckas, the man accused of brutally stabbing a five-months-pregnant mother 70 times before setting her apartment ablaze, is now fighting for his own life after allegedly attempting suicide in his jail cell.
Revuckas was hospitalized in critical condition Thursday evening following self-inflicted injuries sustained around 5 p.m. inside his housing unit at the DuPage County Correctional Center, according to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. The suicide attempt occurred just hours after a judge denied him pretrial release during a Thursday court hearing.
The Crime
The horrific attack occurred on Monday, January 26, when 30-year-old Eliza Morales was alone at her family’s Downers Grove apartment. Police say Morales’s husband, Gabriel, had listed a pickup truck for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Revuckas arrived at the residence purportedly to purchase the vehicle, but investigators say he became enraged over the truck’s condition.
According to ABC 7 Chicago, surveillance footage captured Morales handing Revuckas a screwdriver so he could switch the vehicle’s license plates. Minutes later, cameras showed the teenager approaching the apartment door with the same tool concealed behind his back.
What followed was a savage assault that prosecutors say left Morales with 70 stab wounds. During the struggle, Morales reportedly told Revuckas that she was pregnant—a fact investigators say did not deter him from continuing his vicious attack. The family’s dog was also injured after attempting to intervene and protect Morales.
Approximately twenty minutes after Revuckas entered the apartment, smoke began billowing from the residence, authorities said. Emergency responders arrived to find the apartment in flames and Morales deceased inside.
The Victim
Eliza Morales was more than just a victim of senseless violence—she was a 30-year-old mother to a 2-year-old daughter and was five months pregnant with her second child, also a girl. Her death has left a family shattered and a community searching for answers about how a routine marketplace transaction could spiral into such unimaginable carnage.
Friends and family have established fundraising efforts to support Morales’s surviving daughter and grieving husband.
The Charges and Court Proceedings
Revuckas was arrested and charged with a litany of offenses including first-degree murder, robbery, arson, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated cruelty to animals. During his initial court appearance on Wednesday, January 28, prosecutors detailed the evidence against him, including surveillance footage and his alleged admissions to investigators.
On Thursday afternoon, January 29, a judge denied Revuckas pretrial release—the same day he allegedly attempted to take his own life in custody. Correctional officers and medical staff provided immediate treatment before transporting him to a local hospital.
Authorities have stated that no other inmates or staff members were involved in the incident, and the investigation into his injuries remains ongoing.
Current Status
As of Friday, Nedas Revuckas remains in critical condition at an area hospital. It remains unclear when—or if—he will return to custody to face prosecution for the deaths of Eliza Morales and her unborn daughter.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Downers Grove community and raised serious questions about safety during peer-to-peer marketplace transactions, particularly those conducted at private residences.
This case is developing. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.