A 26-year-old tech CEO and member of Forbes’ prestigious “30 Under 30” class of 2023 was found dead Monday in her Baltimore apartment.
Police said they were initially called about a missing person but later received a second call, which led them to the body of Pava LaPere in her apartment, WBAL reported.
Police later announced they had obtained a warrant for the arrest of 32-year-old Jason Billingsley for first degree murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and other charges. They said Billingsley is believed to be armed and dangerous and asked anyone with information to immediately call 911.
“We implore residents to be aware of your surroundings at all times. This individual will kill, and he will rape, and he will do anything he can to cause harm,” Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley said.
Billingsley was previously arrested in 2009, 2011, and 2013 on a variety of charges, including sex offenses. Worley also said that Billingsley was currently a suspect in “at least one other case,” the Baltimore Sun reported.
LaPere, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, was the founder of EcoMap Technologies, which aims to map systems of information for companies and organizations to make information easier to access.
The company issued a statement announcing her death.
“The circumstances surrounding Pava’s death are deeply distressing, and our deepest condolences are with her family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly devastating time,” the statement said. “Pava was not only the visionary force behind EcoMap but was also 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. ”
Johns Hopkins also released a statement saying it “deeply mourns the tragic loss” of the 2019 graduate.
“Pava was well known and loved in the Baltimore entrepreneurship community and will be profoundly missed.,” the university said “Our solemn thoughts are with her family in this time of grief.”
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[Featured image: Pava LaPere/EcoMap Technologies]
