Local, state, and federal law enforcement arrested Jason Dean Billingsley, 32, in Bowie, Maryland late on Wednesday night, said Baltimore Police on Thursday. Billingsley is accused of murdering local tech CEO and entrepreneur Pava LaPere.
Hours before the arrest on Wednesday, police said that Billingsley is also the suspect behind an attempted murder, rape, and arson at a residence on the 800 block of Edmondson Avenue. That attack happened on September 19th.
Billingsley faces 30 counts, including charges of first-degree murder and assault in the LaPere case; she was found in her Mount Vernon apartment building on Monday night showing signs of blunt-force trauma. He has been charged with 26 counts including first-degree rape, attempted murder, and arson for the assault on Edmondson Avenue.
An arrest warrant was issued for Billingsley on September 20, days before LaPere’s body was found. At that time, Acting Commissioner Rich Worley said they began tracking Billingsley through his phone and financial transactions.
When police announced Billingsley as a suspect in LaPere’s murder on Tuesday, they did not say that he was also a suspect in an attempted rape and murder investigation.
During a Thursday late morning press conference from the Baltimore Police Department headquarters, reporters leaned into the police, asking why they didn’t share information about the two-related incidents earlier.
Worley claims that initially police did not believe Billingsley to be a public threat. He said the attack on the couple at Edmondson Avenue was targeted - Billingsley allegedly worked at the building where that incident occurred.
“We know that the victim and suspect were known to each other. Additionally, we know that the suspect did not break into the building as he worked at that location,” said Worley, adding further that had it been a random act, the police would have put up fliers right away.
Furthermore, Worley said police feared Billingsley would “go underground” if a public search notice went out looking for his whereabouts.
“There were several instances in which we were able to track a close proximity of his location; however, he was still able to elude us,” said Worley. On Tuesday, just before police held a press conference to announce Billingsley as a suspect in LaPere’s death, police allegedly came within 88 meters of the man but were unable to apprehend him.
“I don’t think we made a mistake,” said the acting commissioner, who also cited victim safety as another reason to withhold information about the two connected crimes.
On late Tuesday, he said one of the Edmondson Avenue victims was still in the hospital and the other did not live in the city.
Authorities believe LaPere was killed on Friday night. A missing persons’ report was filed on Monday, hours before her body was discovered. Police are still investigating the relationship between LaPere and Billingsley. No details regarding evidence linking Billingsley to LaPere like DNA or camera footage have been disclosed by any authorities.
Billingsley does have a prior record. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to a first-degree sex offense in a Baltimore Circuit court where he was sentenced to 30 years in prison with all but 14 years suspended. He was reportedly denied parole by the Maryland Parole Commission in 2020 but in October of 2022, he was released from prison after earning “good time” credits, as allowed by Maryland state law.
According to court documents, in 2013 Billingsley was approached by a young woman who needed somewhere to stay after she walked out on an argument with her then partner. Billingsley took her to a house where he then threatened her with a knife while forcing her to perform oral sex.
Both the Baltimore City States’ Attorney Ivan Bates and Mayor Brandon Scott have used the incident to criticize the state’s laws.
“Rapists shouldn't be let out early. Period,” said Mayor Scott.
“He didn't need to be paroled, he did a little less than two thirds of his sentence. And that's what the law allows,” said Bates. “So when you look at it, it was more or less a systematic failure in terms of what happened.”
Bates said that he would be putting two of his most “experienced” prosecutors on the case.
“If, and when, the grand jury gives us the indictments, my office will find life without the possibility of parole.”
LaPere’s family released a statement Thursday morning following the arrest. “We appreciate the tireless efforts of the Baltimore Police Department, and their law enforcement partners, throughout the course of this investigation and apprehension of the suspect. We’re relieved to know he can no longer hurt other innocent victims. While this doesn’t change that Baltimore lost one of its most passionate, influential fans, our efforts remain focused on remembering and celebrating Pava Marie – her life, successes, and legacy.”
