Jason Billingsley, the suspect in the killing of Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere, was ordered held without bail by a Maryland judge on Friday. During a court hearing, the judge described Billingsley as a “serious danger” to the public. Prosecutors revealed that Billingsley admitted to beating LaPere with a brick and his hands.
Billingsley, a 32-year-old convicted sex offender with a violent criminal history, was arrested in Bowie, Maryland, following a days-long manhunt. He was charged with first-degree murder and other offenses in connection to LaPere’s killing. Additionally, he faces attempted murder, rape, and arson charges in a separate case from September 19.
Appearing via Zoom from jail, Billingsley was denied bail by Judge Tameika Lunn-Exinor, who deemed him a flight risk. Prosecutor Robin Wherley characterized Billingsley as a “massive threat” to the public and stated that he confessed to beating LaPere with a brick and his bare hands.
According to court documents, investigators allege that Billingsley waved LaPere down to gain access to her locked apartment building before her death. The medical examiner determined that LaPere, the founder and CEO of EcoMap Technologies, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
