Suspect arrested after manhunt over killing of young Baltimore tech chief
A suspect has been arrested over the murder of a Baltimore tech chief executive, following a citywide manhunt.
Jason Billingsley, 32, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder on Wednesday by Baltimore police over the killing of 26-year-old Pava LaPere. Billingsley was reportedly apprehended at a Maryland train station, ending a day-long manhunt for the suspect.
At a Thursday press conference, the acting Baltimore police commissioner called Billingsley a “psychopath”.
Richard Worley said LaPere was probably killed on Friday night but police declined to share further details of her killing, citing the family’s request for privacy.
Worley said there was no evidence of forced entry into LaPere’s apartment.
Billingsley is also accused over an arson attack in Baltimore that happened last Tuesday, Worley said, adding that the attack was “targeted” and that Billingsley was familiar with the victims.
Billingsley also reportedly stole a weapon. Worley could not confirm if Billingsley was armed when taken into custody.
Worley said police officials had been tracking Billingsley since last week.
Police used Billingsley’s financial records, previous calls from jail and other information to track and eventually locate him, Worley added.
When asked how Billingsley was able to allegedly commit a violent act despite being tracked, Worley said officials held a press conference after realizing Billingsley was suspected of a “random” act of violence.
LaPere, the chief executive of the Baltimore-based startup EcoMap Technologies, was first declared missing on Monday. Hours later, she was found dead in her apartment complex with blunt force trauma to the head.
Officials began to search for Billingsley, though officials did not confirm what evidence connects him to LaPere’s death.
Billingsley has previously been convicted of several violent crimes, according to the Washington Post. Arrested in 2009, 2011 and 2015, he was serving a 30-year prison sentence for a first-degree sex offense, but had 14 years of the sentence suspended, according to the Post.
Latoya Gray, a spokeswoman for the Maryland public safety department, told the paper that Billingsley was a registered sex offender who was released from prison last October on “mandatory supervision”.
Billingsley is required to re-register with the sex offender registry every three months, but failed to comply on 25 September, prompting a warrant for his arrest.
Police are also investigating if Billingsley was involved in a separate attempted murder and rape that occurred earlier this month, NBC News reported.
Billingsley was described as a “repeat violent offender” by the Baltimore city state’s attorney, Ivan Bates, at a news conference earlier.
Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon Scott, said Billingsley should never have been released, according to the Post.
A spokesperson with the district of Maryland’s US marshals office confirmed Billingsley’s arrest to the Guardian, but referred further questions to the Baltimore police department.
A vigil was held for LaPere on Wednesday evening. The entrepreneur, a 2023 Forbes “30 under 30” awardee, was remembered by friends and family as an innovative leader.
“She was the definition of daddy’s little girl. She had me rapt, and still does. She turned from being daddy’s little girl into being a girl boss, and she treated me the same way,” said LaPere’s father, Frank LaPere.