Jason Billingsley murdered Pava LaPere, according to cops. (Mug shot: Baltimore Police Department; screenshot of LaPere: Ignite Baltimore)
The man who allegedly murdered tech CEO Pava LaPere, 26, is also wanted in a recent arson and rape incident, according to cops in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Evidence gathered through the course of the initial investigation by detectives, was able to connect the suspect Billingsley to the homicide of Pava LaPere and the Sept. 19 case,” officers wrote in an update on Wednesday.
Billingsley reportedly banged on the door of a rooming home the night of Sept. 19 on the 800 block of Edmondson Avenue, claimed to be a maintenance worker, kicked down the front door when no one answered, pointed a gun at a man and a woman, bound them with handcuffs and duct tape, raped the woman, cut her neck, doused both victims with a liquid and set them on fire, a source with knowledge of the investigation told The Baltimore Banner.
The man and woman, both 26, survived with burns and other injuries, Baltimore NBC affiliate WBAL reported at the time. A 5-year-old child in the home was taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.
Billingsley reportedly also faces a warrant for stealing a gun in Baltimore County.
As previously reported, cops said that he is the suspect who murdered LaPere in her apartment building on the 300 block of West Franklin Street. Officers arrived on Tuesday morning to find the victim suffering from blunt force trauma. They later named Billingsley as the suspect, initially releasing a 2011 mug shot.
Jason Billingsley murdered Pava LaPere, according to cops. Here he is in a 2011 mug shot. (Mug shot: Baltimore Police Department)
He had pleaded guilty in 2009 to first-degree assault and second-degree assault in 2011, according to The Baltimore Banner. Then in 2013, he strangled a woman, sexually assaulted her, and stole $53. He pleaded guilty in 2015 to a sexual offense in the first degree in exchange for a 30-year prison sentence with all but 14 years suspended, to be followed by five years of probation. Circuit Judge Emanuel Brown, who presided over the deal, didn’t agree with it, reportedly pointing out that it fell under sentencing guidelines of 15 to 25 years behind bars.
“This case deserves a lot more than the 14,” he said, according to the Banner.
He ultimately accepted it to spare the traumatized survivor of testifying at a trial.
Billingsley got out of prison on Oct. 5, 2022, because of good-time credit. Sex offender records say he’s Black, with black hair, and brown eyes, stands 6 feet, 4 inches, and weighs 305 pounds. They describe him as “non-compliant.”
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Jason Billingsley murdered Pava LaPere, according to cops. Here he is in his mug shot on the Maryland sex offender registry. (Mug shot: Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services)
Officers ask that anyone with information to call 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
You can also use the free and anonymous “P3 Tips” mobile app. A QR code, available on the wanted poster, leads to a tipline.
Billingsley is considered armed and dangerous.
“With profound sadness and shock, EcoMap announces the tragic and untimely passing of our beloved Founder and CEO, Pava LaPere,” EcoMap Technologies said in a statement about LaPere’s death. “The circumstances surrounding Pava’s death are deeply distressing, and our deepest condolences are with her family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly devastating time. Pava was not only the visionary force behind EcoMap but was also a deeply compassionate and dedicated leader. Her untiring commitment to our company, to Baltimore, to amplifying the critical work of ecosystems across the country, and to building a deeply inclusive culture as a leader, friend, and partner set a standard for leadership, and her legacy will live on through the work we continue to do.”
The company pledged their support for LaPere’s family.
They asked the public for privacy and respect as they grieve and process what they called an “unimaginable tragedy.”
Delali Dzirasa, one of LaPere’s mentors and CEO of the software development and digital services company Fearless, told the Banner that LaPere was a “force” and could command any room she was in.
”How is she not 45, all she’s been able to accomplish and everyone’s she been able to touch,” he said. “She’s a kid, she’s young — that’s what hurts me so much. She was on this rise and just starting to be seen, and to not see that star get to that end and mature to full potential.”
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