He 'Will Kill And He Will Rape:' Manhunt For Accused Tech CEO Killer In Maryland

BALTIMORE, MD — Authorities are searching for a man accused of killing Pava LaPere, a 26-year-old tech entrepreneur and CEO who was found dead in her Baltimore apartment Monday morning.

Baltimore police on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for Jason Dean Billingsley, 32, of Baltimore on charges including first-degree murder and assault. The announcement came two days after LaPere was found dead on the roof of her apartment building in the 300 block of West Franklin Street.

Police said LaPere was discovered partially clothed and showed signs of blunt-force trauma. She was reported missing earlier in the day, police said.

On Wednesday, police said Billingsley is also wanted in connection to another attempted murder, arson and rape that took place Sept. 19 in the 800 block of Edmondson Avenue. According to a Baltimore Banner report, Billingsley kicked in the door to the home, pointed a gun at two people inside then handcuffed and duct-taped them. Authorities told the Banner he then raped the woman and cut her neck before dousing the couple with a liquid and setting them on fire.

The couple and a child in the home were hospitalized following the incident, the Banner reported.

At a news conference Tuesday, police said Billingsley is a convicted sex offender who has been arrested multiple times on charges including assault and robbery. He was paroled last October in an earlier sexual assault case. Court records show he pleaded guilty to first-degree sex assault in 2015.

Officials said they have no reason to believe LaPere knew Billingsley.

"This individual will kill and he will rape," Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley said. "He will do anything he can to cause harm. Please be aware of your surroundings."

Baltimore police and the U.S. Marshals Service are working to locate Billingsley. Authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

LaPere, who graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2019, founded the startup EcoMap Technologies. The company focuses on curating data from business, nonprofit and education ecosystems and making it easier to access and interpret, according to their website. Their clients include Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and T. Rowe Price Foundation.

LaPere was also named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list earlier this year.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said he had the privilege of getting to know LaPere over the past few years.

"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 stomachs of all Baltimoreans tonight," he said. "We will not rest until justice is served."

In a statement provided to the Banner, LaPere's company called her a "visionary force" and a "deeply compassionate and dedicated leader."

"Her untiring commitment to our company, to Baltimore, to amplifying the critical work of ecosystems across the country, and to building a deeply inclusive culture as a leader, friend, and partner set a standard for leadership, and her legacy will live on through the work we continue to do," the statement read.

A reward is available for information leading to Billingsley's capture. Residents should call 911 if they see or encounter him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.