Last Wednesday, police in Baltimore arrested the suspect in the murder of Pava LaPere, the 26-year-old tech CEO who was found dead on the roof of her apartment building last Monday, CBS News reported.
Baltimore Police arrested Jason Billingsley, a registered sex offender and convicted felon who was released from prison last year.
The 32-year-old Billingsley was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals at a Bowie train station around 11:00 p.m., according to Baltimore Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley.
Billingsley has been charged with first-degree murder and second-degree murder in LaPere’s death. He is also facing charges of first- and second-degree rape and first-degree arson for a separate incident on September 19 in which Billingsley raped and attacked a woman before setting her and her boyfriend on fire.
Worley said Billingsley had eluded capture on a warrant in connection to the September 19 rape and arson.
While he had no previous connection to LaPere, Worley said they do not believe Billingsley forced his way into her secure apartment building.
Police responded to LaPere’s apartment building last Monday morning after receiving a call reporting her missing. Her body was discovered on the roof.
According to the acting commissioner, investigators believe that she was killed on the Friday before her body was discovered and just three days after the September 19 rape and arson.
An arrest warrant was issued for Billingsley on the same day LaPere was found. However, police did not say why he was a suspect.
According to the statement of charges filed against Billingsley in the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore, the medical examiner determined that LaPere died of strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head, CNN reported.
The co-founder of EcoMap Technologies, LaPere’s work landed her on Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 list under the social impact category.
