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

A man accused of killing Baltimore tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere last September pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of attempted murder in a separate case involving arson and home invasion just days earlier.

Jason Billingsley, 33, pleaded guilty Monday morning rather than appear in court. Officials said the agreement calls for two life sentences to be served concurrently.

Billingsley is due back in court Friday to face charges related to 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 burglary case, police said, Billingsley gained entry to a residence by posing as a janitor. According to the warrant, he pointed a gun at a woman inside the building and bound her and her boyfriend with duct tape. He then raped the woman multiple times and attacked her with a knife before setting both victims on fire, causing severe burns, police wrote.

In the bushes in front of the house, officers found a backpack and other items, including insulation tape, a container of bleach, a gas can and a lighter, the search warrant states.

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

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

LaPere, who founded a technology startup from her dorm room at Johns Hopkins University and was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for her social influence, died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. In a bail review hearing after Billingsley's arrest, prosecutors said he admitted to hitting LaPere with a brick. He gained entry to her downtown Baltimore apartment building by waving her toward the glass door, but there is no reason to believe the two knew each other, police said.

Her 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 actively pursued him but did not immediately inform the public because they did not believe he was committing “random” acts of violence. Attorneys for Hurley and Gilmore criticized the police department's decision, saying they believed police did not take the case seriously because it occurred in a disadvantaged 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 deprivation of liberty, assault and attempted murder have left a lasting mark not only on the lives of the victims, but also on the lives of our entire city,” he said. “This outcome reflects our unwavering commitment to seeking justice for the victims and holding violent offenders accountable for their actions.”