Suspect Jason Billingsley wanted in murder of Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere, police say
BALTIMORE -- An arrest warrant has been issued in the murder of 26-year-old Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere.
Baltimore Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley said 32-year-old Jason Dean Billingsley, from Baltimore, is wanted for first-degree murder, assault, reckless endangerment and additional charges.
"We implore residents to be aware of your surroundings at all times," Worley said. "This individual will kill and he will rape. He will do anything he can to cause harm."
Acting Commissioner Worley was joined by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, State's Attorney Ivan Bates, and U.S. Marshals at the press conference.
"Our special investigation section and our homicide unit have been working aggressively to identify the suspect responsible for this tragic incident," Worley said. "Our Warrant Apprehension Task Force alongside the U.S. Marshals is actively working to apprehend him."
LaPere was found dead at a Mount Vernon apartment building Monday morning, according to police.
Officers responded around 11:30 a.m. to an apartment building on the 300 block of West Franklin Street for a call for service, where LaPere's body was found with signs of blunt-force trauma, police said.
"At this point, we believe he is probably armed and dangerous," Worley said. "We ask anyone who may have seen him, knows him or knows his whereabouts, to contact police immediately by calling 911."
WJZ confirmed Tuesday that LaPere co-founded and leads EcoMap, a company that says it digitizes ecosystems with its proprietary technology.
Aside from her work at EcoMap, she also worked extensively to help other entrepreneurs get started -- all while ensuring everyone had a seat at the table.
"It's difficult to express the sorrow that I have standing before you," Mayor Scott said. "This was a senseless, horrific and deeply tragic. Pava was a very young, talented, devoted Baltimorean, someone who I had gotten the opportunity to know over the past few years who would help anybody she would see. To have that life cut short by someone who has no care about anything other than harming people is something that should sit deep in the stomach of all Baltimoreans tonight and our city."
If you have information that could help detectives in this case, contact the department at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
"This person is extremely dangerous. We will not rest until justice is served," Mayor Scott said. "We will work with law enforcement partners that we have to bring this individual, who shouldn't have been out on the streets in the first place, into custody."
