Relatives identify the victim as Eliza Morales; detectives say the fire came after the attack.
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — A 19-year-old suburban man is due in DuPage County court Wednesday after police said he fatally stabbed a 30-year-old pregnant woman and set her Downers Grove apartment on fire Monday night along Ogden Avenue.
Investigators say the case escalated quickly from a fire call to a homicide probe as crews discovered the victim inside the unit with sharp-force injuries. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Family members identified her as Eliza Morales and said she was several months pregnant. Police said one additional person suffered smoke inhalation. The arrest Tuesday capped a fast-moving search that included canvassing nearby buildings and reviewing surveillance video. Officials described the threat to the public as contained following the arrest, though they continued to seek any additional witnesses from the corridor.
Downers Grove police said the suspect, identified as Nedas Revuckas of Westmont, faces first-degree murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, robbery, aggravated arson and aggravated cruelty to animals. Detectives believe Morales resisted at her doorway as the suspect tried to get inside before the assault. Fire investigators focused on burn patterns near the entry and kitchen as they worked to confirm that the blaze was intentionally set after the attack. “We will release more as we can,” police said in a short update, noting that technicians were still collecting swabs, fingerprints and fire debris for laboratory testing.
Neighbors reported hearing alarms and shouting, then seeing smoke push from an upper-floor window of the complex in the 2300 block of Ogden Avenue. Several residents said firefighters hauled hoses up a narrow stairwell while police taped off the lot and checked vehicles leaving the property. By daylight Tuesday, evidence markers dotted the entryway, and officers escorted tenants to grab medication and pets before closing the building again for investigators. The DuPage County Fire Investigation Task Force assisted with the cause-and-origin analysis, while the county medical examiner documented the victim’s injuries and pregnancy status.
Authorities said there is no indication Morales or her relatives knew the suspect. Prosecutors have not alleged a prior dispute between the two. The apartment complex, a low-rise property near shops and service businesses, retained private security to help direct residents during the closure. Public records show recent inspections passed without major issues and no serious crimes were logged at the specific address in the months before the fire. State law allows a separate count of intentional homicide of an unborn child when a pregnant person is killed, and prosecutors frequently file that charge alongside murder in similar cases.
A detention hearing is set for Wednesday in DuPage County. If the judge orders Revuckas held, a preliminary hearing will follow, with prosecutors outlining probable cause while awaiting lab results. Officials said they will compile a fuller public timeline, including 911 call times, fire department arrival and suppression benchmarks, and the exact moment investigators determined the fire was deliberately set. Police said they will also continue door-to-door interviews on side streets off Ogden and have asked nearby businesses to preserve overnight camera recordings for review. The apartment unit remained sealed as of early Wednesday pending additional documentation.
Outside the tape Tuesday night, candles flickered below a window streaked with soot. A neighbor said she watched crews carry out fans and charred debris and that the hallway smelled of smoke even after ventilation. A relative at the scene said the family is mourning Morales and her unborn child and that they had not heard her name linked to any prior police calls at the address. Drivers slowed along Ogden to look at the cluster of vehicles and lights as investigators worked past midnight gathering measurements for court exhibits.
As of Wednesday morning, the suspect was expected to appear for a detention hearing and the building remained partly closed to residents while investigators finished documenting the scene. Authorities said further updates would follow the hearing on Jan. 28.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.