Suspect arrested in Baltimore CEOs death knew her, police say
By Timothy Bella, Omari Daniels and Dan Morse
Updated September 28, 2023 at 7:22 p.m. EDT | Published September 28, 2023 at 7:45 a.m. EDT
Frank LaPere, Nico LaPere and Caroline Frank, the family of Pava LaPere, at a vigil Wednesday in Baltimore. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
Baltimore authorities arrested Jason Dean Billingsley, the man suspected of killing tech CEO Pava LaPere, after a citywide manhunt that had officers tracking the suspect for days after he allegedly committed multiple crimes, police said Thursday.
Billingsley, 32, was apprehended in Bowie, Md., at 11 p.m. Wednesday after officers from several agencies surrounded him, acting Baltimore police commissioner Richard Worley said at a news conference. Worley said Billingsley knew LaPere, 26, as well as victims of a separate attack last week for which Billingsley was charged with attempted murder, rape and arson. ... All indications are this was not a random act of violence, Worley told reporters.
Its unclear how Billingsley knew LaPere or the victims in the other case. Authorities said Billingsley worked at the building where the first incident took place, and there was no sign of forced entry into LaPeres apartment. ... LaPere, who co-founded EcoMap Technologies and was on this years Forbes 30 Under 30 list for social impact, was reported missing Sunday. Officers found her dead in her Baltimore apartment building Monday morning. She had suffered severe head injuries, according to authorities. ... It is likely that LaPere was killed the Friday before, Worley said.
The other incident Billingsley is charged in occurred Sept. 19, but police have not released any other details about that case. ... Worley did not say where Billingsley was captured in Bowie, which is about 30 miles southwest of Baltimore, or whether he was armed. Deputy U.S. Marshal Albert Maresca Jr. told WBAL-TV, an NBC affiliate in Baltimore, that Billingsley was captured at a train station in Bowie.
Billingsley, who is charged with first-degree murder, assault and reckless endangerment in LaPeres death, is a registered sex offender who was released from prison last fall.
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By Timothy Bella
Timothy Bella is a staff writer and editor for the General Assignment team, focusing on national news. His work has appeared in outlets such as Esquire, the Atlantic, New York magazine and the Undefeated. Twitter
https://twitter.com/TimBella
By Omari Daniels
Omari Daniels is a News Aide working with the Metro department at The Washington Post. He has previously contributed to The Posts Metro and Capital Business sections. Twitter
https://twitter.com/theotherbigo
By Dan Morse
Dan Morse covers courts and crime in Montgomery County. He arrived at the paper in 2005, after reporting stops at the Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun and Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. He is the author of "The Yoga Store Murder." Twitter
https://twitter.com/morsedan