Baltimore man accused of killing tech company CEO pleads guilty to attempted murder in separate case

BALTIMORE (AP) — A man accused of killing Baltimore tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere last September pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of attempted murder in a separate arson and home invasion case that occurred days earlier.

Jason Billingsley, 33, pleaded guilty instead of appearing for trial Monday morning. Authorities said the plea deal included two life sentences to be served concurrently.

Billingsley is due back in court Friday to face charges in LaPere’s murder, an apparently random attack in which she was raped and beaten to death on the roof of her downtown apartment building.

In the home invasion case, police say Billingsley gained entry to an apartment building by posing as the building’s maintenance man. According to the arrest warrant, he pointed a gun at a woman inside and used duct tape to subdue her and her boyfriend. He then repeatedly raped the woman and attacked her with a knife before setting both victims on fire, causing severe burns, police wrote.

Officers found a backpack and other items in the bushes outside the home, including duct tape, a container of bleach, a can of gasoline and a lighter, the warrant states.

The victims in the case, April Hurley and Jonte Gilmore, filed a lawsuit earlier this year accusing the landlord and management company of engaging in negligent hiring practices.

Billingsley was released from prison in October 2022 after serving a reduced sentence for a 2013 rape because he earned credits for good behavior while behind bars.

LaPere, who founded a tech startup out of his dorm room at Johns Hopkins University and was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for social impact, died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. At a bail review hearing after Billingsley’s arrest, prosecutors said he admitted to beating LaPere with a brick. He managed to get into her downtown Baltimore apartment building after she motioned for her to come to his glass door, but there’s no reason to believe they knew each other, police said.

His body was found on the roof six days after the attack on Hurley and Gilmore.

Billingsley was quickly identified as a suspect in the rape and arson case. Baltimore police said they were actively searching for him but did not immediately alert the public because they did not believe he was committing “random” acts of violence. Lawyers for Hurley and Gilmore criticized the department’s decision, saying they believed police did not take the case seriously because it occurred in a low-income neighborhood and the victims were people of color.

In a statement Monday, Baltimore City Attorney Ivan Bates said he hoped the guilty plea would bring closure and healing to the victims.

“The horrific acts of unlawful confinement, assault and attempted murder have left a lasting impact not only on the lives of the victims, but on our city as a whole,” he said. “This outcome reflects our unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.”

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