After several days of searching, the man who was wanted for questioning in the killing of a tech CEO in Baltimore, Maryland, has been taken into custody by the police.
On Monday morning, it was announced that Pava LaPere, 26 years old, the creator of the firm EcoMap Technologies, had gone missing. Later that day, her body was discovered.
Early on Thursday morning, Jason Dean Billingsley, a convicted offender, was taken into custody by the police.
They stated that it appeared as though Ms. LaPere passed away on Friday night and that there were no signs of a forced entry into her apartment.
According to the court records, her body was found on the roof of an apartment building in the central Baltimore neighborhood "with apparent trauma to the head, face, and body."
According to the court filings, footage from the security camera shows that Ms. LaPere appeared to let the suspect into the premises.
Following what appears to have been a wave from the suspect through the door's glass panel, the victim reportedly opened the door.
According to previous statements made by investigators, there was no evidence that Ms. LaPere knew Billingsley, who was sought for first-degree murder.
Thursday morning, police stated that a SWAT squad had surrounded the 32-year-old suspect who was located 27 miles (43 kilometers) south of Baltimore at a railway station in Bowie, Maryland.
Ms. LaPere received her education at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and it was there that she launched the technology company when she was 21 years old.
In the earlier part of this year, she was recognized by Forbes as one of the 30 Under 30. Following the suspect's arrest, the family of Ms. LaPere released a statement in which they said they were "relieved to know [the suspect] can no longer hurt other innocent victims".
Although this does not erase the fact that Baltimore has lost one of its most devoted and important fans, our efforts will continue to be concentrated on remembering and celebrating Pava Marie - her life, her accomplishments, and her legacy, as stated in the statement.
During a vigil that was held on Wednesday, Ms. LaPere's father, Frank LaPere, said that his daughter exemplified "the definition of daddy's little girl."
He reminisced about how they would trade photographs of the sunrise hikes they took together and thanked the attendees "for loving our girl."
The suspect was also sought for attempted murder, rape, and arson that occurred on September 19 in Baltimore. Officials warned the public that he was armed and dangerous before his arrest on Thursday.
In October 2022, Billingsley was released from prison after serving nearly seven years for a sexual offense of the first degree. Since his release, he has been on Maryland's registered sex offender list.
Police say they are investigating other cases that have occurred since October to determine whether Billingsley is connected to any of them.
Sources reported that the suspect's mother, Scarlett Billingsley, texted him to turn himself in because they were going to kill him.
Scarlett Billingsley also revealed to the network that her son had briefly visited her home on Monday and showed her a gun.
