BALTIMORE — Officials said Thursday that police had been searching for the man arrested in a Baltimore tech entrepreneur slaying since last week as a suspect in a separate rape and arson.
Jason Billingsley, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Pava LaPere, 26, was released from prison in October 2016 after accumulating good behavior credits to reduce his sentence for a 2013 sexual assault.
Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department Richard Worley stated at a news conference on Thursday that detectives believe LaPere was murdered on Friday evening, even though her body was not discovered until after she was reported missing on Monday. The Johns Hopkins University graduate, who founded the tech startup EcoMap Technologies while still a student, was discovered deceased in her flat complex with signs of blunt force trauma.
Brandon Scott, the mayor of Baltimore, questioned why Billingsley was released from prison so soon after his sexual assault conviction, but he noted that police are only one component of a larger system that includes prosecutors, courts, and prisons.\
“We are aware that we are discussing a system with which we must also contend,” he said.
Worley stated that investigators are evaluating all open cases since Billingsley’s release in October 2022 to determine whether any connections exist.
This violent criminal offender and repeat offender will be returned to prison, where he belongs, Worley stated. Now, let’s all collaborate to ensure that he stays there.
The family of LaPere thanked the city police and their law enforcement colleagues for their “tireless efforts” during the investigation and capture of the suspect.
Man Wanted In Killing Of Baltimore Tech Entrepreneur Pava LaPere Is Arrested, Police Say.
“We’re relieved to know he can no longer hurt other innocent victims,” the family said. While this does not alter the fact that Baltimore lost one of its most devoted and influential admirers, we will continue to honor Pava Marie’s life, achievements, and legacy.
According to an application for an arrest warrant, the victim in the 2013 case told police that during the assault, he displayed a knife and strangled her. Ivan Bates, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, stated that Billingsley pleaded guilty in 2015 to first-degree sex assault, for which state guidelines prescribe a sentence of 15 to 25 years, but Billingsley received a sentence of 30 years with all but 14 years suspended as part of a plea agreement.
Bates stated that the judge who sentenced Billingsley hesitated before approving the plea agreement reached between prosecutors and Billingsley’s counsel. However, the judge ultimately approved the terms of the agreement.
According to court documents, Billingsley was convicted of second-degree assault in 2011 and first-degree assault in 2009.
Police say Billingsley is also a suspect in a rape, attempted murder, and arson that occurred in Baltimore on September 19. Within hours of the crime, a warrant was issued for Billingsley, and detectives have been actively searching for him ever since, including through his mobile and social media use, interviewing witnesses and monitoring his known addresses, according to Worley.
“When we held a press conference about the death of LaPere, we were approximately 88 metres away from capturing the suspect, but he was able to evade capture,” Worley said.
According to Worley, Billingsley knew the victims of the September 19 incident, which was not a random act, but the department did not warn the public about Billingsley at the time. According to him, the police have no reason to suspect LaPere knew Billingsley.
Man Wanted In Killing Of Baltimore Tech Entrepreneur Pava LaPere Is Arrested, Police Say.
“I hope this sends a message to anyone else who enjoys committing these kinds of cowardly, heinous acts that we will not tolerate it and will remove you from the streets of Baltimore,” said the mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott.
The public defender’s office, which has previously represented Billingsley, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it was too soon to comment on this case. Thursday morning, the office waited to respond to an email seeking comment on behalf of Billingsley.
Bates stated that if a grand jury returns an indictment, his office will pursue a life sentence without parole.
“If this person is found guilty in a court of law, he or she will never again be able to harm any of the citizens of our fine city,” Bates said.
LaPere, named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for social impact earlier this year, was remembered at a vigil on Wednesday evening as someone who remained committed to building community and using entrepreneurship to create meaningful social change even as her national profile increased.
LaPere remained committed to the philanthropic endeavors that initially inspired her as she developed EcoMap, a platform that uses technology to curate data and make it more accessible throughout social ecosystems.
Frank LaPere, her father, told the crowd of more than 100 people assembled for the vigil, “She knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish, and nothing could stand in her way.”
according to Taboola
SOURCE – (AP)
