Jason Billingsley on Friday pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the slaying of Maryland tech executive Pava LaPere as well as two counts of attempted murder in a separate incident. File Photo courtesy of Baltimore Police Department
Aug. 31 (UPI) — A man who murdered a young tech entrepreneur in Baltimore almost a year ago in a case that inspired changes in Maryland state law has been handed multiple life sentences by a judge.
Jason Billingsley on Friday pleaded guilty in a Baltimore courtroom to first-degree murder in the death of Pava LaPere, as well as two counts of attempted murder in a separate incident, the Maryland State Prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Robert Taylor sentenced Billingsley to two concurrent life sentences as well as an additional life sentence to be served consecutively after admitting to killing LaPere in September of 2023.
He also took responsibility for the sexual assault of April Hurley days before the attack on LaPere. Billingsley kicked in Hurley’s door to gain access, slashed her throat with a knife and doused her apartment with gasoline before setting it ablaze and leaving her and a male companion restrained inside.
Both were in serious condition and suffered third-degree burns.
LaPere was later found on the roof of her apartment complex in Baltimore after being reported missing by her co-workers.
At the time police said they believed she was killed days earlier.
Police found DNA evidence on a brick near her body, ruling her death from blunt force trauma to the head was random.
LaPere founded EcoMap Technologies when she was still a student at Johns Hopkins University. That led to Forbes naming her to the publication’s 30 under 30 list for her social impact.
Billingsley had been out of prison for less than a year at the time, after receiving early release following a 2015 rape conviction.
At the time of LaPere’s murder, Billingsley was wanted on other charges, including assault and reckless endangerment in violation of his supervision.
That inspired Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, to sign the Pava Marie LaPere Act into law. The legislation prohibits “an incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for first-degree rape or first-degree sexual offense” from being entitled to early release earned by good behavior.
“This defendant should have never been released into the community following a first-degree sex offense conviction to inflict immense trauma, pain, and sorrow on so many individuals in such a short amount of time,” State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement.
“These cases inspired our legislation to eliminate diminution credits for first-degree sex offenders, and the brave testimonies from Ms. Hurley and the LaPere Family during the plea agreement hearings have reaffirmed my long-standing belief that the needs of victims, above all else, must always guide the actions of the Office of the State’s Attorney,” Bates added.
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Publish date : 2024-08-31 07:34:00
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