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Baltimore police on Thursday plan to announce the arrest of a man suspected in the murder of Baltimore tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere, the police department said in a notice about a news conference.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment early Thursday. The notice of the 11 a.m. event reads “BPD to announce arrest of murder suspect Jason Billingsley.” No further details were released.
Billingsley, 32, had been wanted on a first-degree murder warrant in the killing of LaPere, the CEO and founder of the software startup EcoMap Technologies.
LaPere, 26, remembered by colleagues as an important part of Baltimore’s small tech scene, was found dead at an apartment of apparent blunt-force injuries Monday, police have said.
Police and the U.S. Marshals Service launched a manhunt for Billingsley, who was also wanted in connection with an unrelated attempted murder and rape earlier this month.
Billingsley’s mother was among those urging him to turn himself in. Authorities also announced a $6,000 reward and warned he is armed and dangerous.
“This individual will kill, and he will rape,” Police Commissioner Richard Worley has said. “He will do anything he can to cause harm.”
Billingsley is a “repeat violent offender,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates said at a news conference while the manhunt was ongoing.
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Billingsley pleaded guilty to a first-degree sex offense and was sentenced in 2015 to 30 years in prison, with 16 of those years suspended, court records show. He was paroled in October.
Police have not released much information about LaPere’s death. She was reported missing and was found dead not long after that report was made, police have said.
EcoMap Technologies aims to improve the accessibility and efficiency of information ecosystems, according to its website. Its products include chatbots and other resources for businesses and groups.
LaPere was included on Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30” list this year. It noted that her company’s clients include Meta and the T. Rowe Price Foundation.
She was from Tucson, Arizona, and moved to Baltimore to attend Johns Hopkins University. She fell in love with the city and stayed, those who knew her said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
