Brother, Pregnancy, Five Hours: The Crime That Destroyed Minnesota

Betany Bad, 17 weeks pregnant, had dinner at her brother Jack's house in Minnesota. Five hours later, her mother found blood. The remains appeared in three different locations. What obsession drove a brother to murder and dismember his pregnant sister?

In this episode, you will discover how Jack's handwritten journals revealed prior violent thoughts, how the prosecution elevated the charges from second to first-degree premeditated murder, and why the defense will argue in May 2026 that Jack was not mentally capable of understanding his actions - despite having been declared competent to stand trial.

Case Details
Victim: Betany Bad Israel, 30 years old, educator and wife; fetus of 17-18 weeks (Levy)
Date: May 23, 2024
Location: Lakeville, Minnesota, United States
Status: Jack Joseph Bad pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder; mental incompetence hearing set for May 21, 2026

- Jack answered basic questions correctly after his arrest but had a self-inflicted wound on his neck, evidence of two opposing mental states without public resolution
- Jack's journals documented family resentment and references to "loss of innocence," but their exact content was never fully published nor was his motive confirmed
- Police call for Jack's mental health in 2022 contrasts with the judge declaring him competent in October 2024: the same man, contradictory legal standards
- Axes, hacks, and bloody knives in the house, combined with the transfer of remains to three locations, suggest both premeditation and possible final decompensation

Will the defense prove that Jack did not understand his actions - and can his own journals demonstrate precisely the opposite?

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