Baltimore police allege that 32-year-old Jason Dean Billingsley killed Pava Marie LaPere, who was the CEO of a technology company.
Officials said LaPere, 26, was found dead Monday at 11:34 a.m. at an apartment complex on the 300 block of West Franklin Street in Baltimore, Maryland. LaPere had signs of blunt-force trauma.
Shortly before officers arrived at the apartment, a missing person’s call was made, an investigation revealed. Homicide detectives are investigating her death.
LaPere was the CEO of EcoMap Technologies, which is based in Baltimore. She received a Forbes 30 Under 30 award in 2023 in the social impact category.
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Billingsley has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2009, according to court records. He’s still on the loose as police continue a massive manhunt.
He was sentenced to 30 years in prison on February 4, 2015, after being convicted of a 1st-degree forcible sex offense, but was in custody beginning on July 11, 2013, on that charge. He received 16 years of suspended time and five years of parole but was released from prison in October 2022 under the previous administration of State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
Officials on Tuesday didn’t elaborate on why Billingsley was released, Mayor Brandon Scott said, “There’s no way in hell he should have been out on the street.”
Billingsley was also convicted of first-degree assault and violation of probation in 2009, which both carried a sentence of five and three years respectively.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Baltimore Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley said of Billingsley, “This individual will kill and he will rape.”
“He will do anything he can to cause harm. So please be aware of your surroundings,” Worley said.
Scott said he’s “extremely frustrated” that Billingsley was freed on parole.
“This is why you consistently hear from us, those who are on the front lines of this work, those who have to talk with those grieving families to get other parts of the system to understand the human side of it, that these cases impact people’s lives for the eternity,” Scott said.
“The conviction should be the conviction. And we have to make sure that folks are held accountable in every single way because we are tired of talking about the same people commit the same kind of crimes over and over again,” he added.
“We have to stand up here and talk about someone’s life cut down short by someone who should still be in prison.
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Police don’t believe he had any relationship with LaPere.
Former Washington, D.C., Homicide Detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital he would have never given a recommendation for Billingsley to be paroled, and is puzzled why he was released.
“My recommendation would have been absolutely under no circumstances, looking and given the rate of abuse that this individual should have been back on the streets of Baltimore,” he said.
Williams said there needs to be an “extensive investigation” into how Billingsley was released from prison on parole.
“And it is without a doubt that somebody or bodies in Baltimore have what I defined as blood on their hands by permitting this violent criminal to be released and back on the streets of Baltimore,” Williams said.
EcoMap Technologies issued a statement on LaPere’s death on Facebook that said “the news has shaken us all deeply.”
“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,” the company wrote. “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.”
“As a team, and on behalf of our customers and the EcoMap community, we are devastated by this loss, and we pledge our unwavering support to the LaPere family as they navigate this heartbreaking period. We would also like to express our gratitude to the authorities and emergency services for their efforts and professionalism,” it added.
