Manhunt over: Jason Billingsley arrested for alleged murder of tech CEO

Posted at 10:28 AM, September 28, 2023 and last updated 11:47 AM, September 28, 2023

BALTIMORE (Scripps News Baltimore) — The manhunt for the alleged killer of Pava Marie LaPer, a young tech CEO in Baltimore, has come to an end.

Booking photo

Jason Billingsley (Baltimore City Police Department)

Jason Billingsley, 32, was taken into custody just after 11pm by the U.S. Marshall’s Office Wednesday at a train station in Bowie, Maryland.

An arrest warrant was issued for Billingsley Tuesday evening. He’d been on the run since and was considered armed and dangerous.

LaPer, 26, was the founder and CEO of EcoMap Technologies, a Baltimore-based start-up tech company.

Police discovered the Johns Hopkins grad inside the Congress apartments on W. Franklin Street, suffering from blunt-force trauma.

Officers were reportedly called to the Congress apartments to check up on a missing person, when they discovered the Johns Hopkins grad inside, suffering from blunt-force trauma.

Police said they used evidence from a September 19 attempted rape and arson to connect Billingsley to the murder. He was also suspected of stealing a gun out of Baltimore County on September 25.

Police say Billingsley had three prior arrests dating back to 2009 for charges including assault, robbery and sex offense through force or threat. Billingsley was last convicted in 2015 and released from prison in October 2022 due to credits earned for good behavior and training.

Police believe he could be the suspect in other open cases. They’ve scheduled an 11am Thursday press conference to share more details on his arrest.

 

This story was originally published by Scripps News Baltimore, an E.W. Scripps Company.