Pava LaPere Murder Suspect Was Sought in Connection with Attempted Murder and Rape Days Before Her Death

Jason Dean Billingsley, 32, of Baltimore was arrested on Wednesday and charged with the murder of 26-year-old Pava LaPere

The suspect arrested in the murder of Pava LaPere is also a suspect in a separate rape, attempted murder and arson incident, authorities say.

Jason Dean Billingsley, 32, of Baltimore was arrested in connection with LaPere's murder at around 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday in Maryland, according to authorities. His arrest comes after LaPere — who was founder and CEO of EcoMap Technologies — was discovered on the roof of her Mount Vernon apartment building in the 300 block of West Franklin Street on Monday around 11:30 a.m. Police said in a news conference on Thursday that they believe she was killed the Friday prior, multiple outlets reported.

On Thursday, outlets including CNN, ABC News and NBC News reported that, according to court documents, LaPere died as a result of strangulation and blunt force trauma. A brick and several teeth were among the items found at the crime scene.

Ahead of Billinglsey's arrest, Baltimore Police released a statement that noted that he is believed to be responsible for a separate incident in the Baltimore area that occurred the same week as LaPere's murder.

"Through the course of the investigation, BPD can confirm that Billingsley is wanted in connection to an attempted murder, arson and rape that occurred on Sept. 19, 2023, in the 800 block of Edmondson Avenue," the Wednesday release stated. According to CNN, the Sept. 19 incident occurred about a mile from where 26-year-old LaPere was found.

Following Billingsley's arrest, Worley also said police believe the Sept. 19 incident was premeditated.

“All indications are that this was not a random act of violence,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said in a Thursday press conference. “We have information to believe that the victims from Edmondson Avenue were targeted by the suspect — that the suspect knew the victims and he went into that location for a criminal reason.”

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"Additionally, we know that the suspect did not break into the building as he worked at that location."

According to a report from local news outlet WJZ, also cited by CNN, documents filed in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City and obtained by the outlet allege that on Sept. 19, Billingsley raped and then cut a woman’s neck before setting her and her boyfriend on fire. Charging documents obtained by WJZ also state the incident occurred after Billingsley knocked on the woman's door disguised as a maintenance man.

WJZ reported on Sept. 19 that the fire began at around 9.30 a.m. local time.

"I heard her screaming and banging on the grate help her get out, help her," a neighbor told WJZ at the time. "I screamed through the building to see if there was anyone who could help me help her."

A 5-year-old was also found in the building and taken to hospital, per WJZ.

Following his arrest on Wednesday, Billingsley has been charged first-degree murder and other charges in relation to LaPere's death, according to NBC News, ABC News and The Washington Post. Police said they don't know whether LaPere and Billingsley knew one another.

"I know this arrest does not bring back Pava LaPere," Worley said at the Thursday press conference. “But my hope is at least we can give a sense of closure to the city of Baltimore, the victims of all his crimes and all their families."

A previous statement provided to PEOPLE by the Baltimore Police Department detailed that Billingsley had been arrested in 2013, 2011 and 2009 for multiple charges including "sex offense, 2nd-degree assault charges and robbery."

LaPere was featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for social impact in 2023.

Police said they are continuing to "investigators continue to actively review all other open cases since October 2022, to determine if any other connections exist."

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