Tech CEO Pava LaPere Found Dead at 26: Warrant Issued for Suspect's Arrest
Authorities are on the hunt for a suspect in connection to the murder of Pava LaPere.
The 26-year-old, who served as CEO of EcoMap Technologies and was featured on this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list, was found dead in her Baltimore apartment with signs of blunt-force trauma on Sept. 25, police confirmed to NBC News.
During a press conference held the following day, authorities announced that they have issued an arrest warrant for Jason Dean Billingsley in connection to her case, stating that the 32-year-old is wanted for first-degree murder, assault, reckless endangerment and additional charges.
"This individual will kill, and he will rape," Commissioner Richard Worley said during the press conference. "He will do anything he can to cause harm."
Worley also went on to issue a warning directly to the suspect.
"Every single police officer in Baltimore city and the state of Maryland, as well as the U.S. Marshalls are looking for you," he said. "We will find you, so I will ask you to turn yourself into any officer at a police station because we will take you into custody eventually."
Authorities also shared their belief that Billingsley is "probably armed and dangerous" at this time.
"We ask anyone who may have seen him, knows him or knows his whereabouts," Worley continued, "to contact police immediately by calling 911."
Billingsley was previously sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 16 years suspended, after he pleaded guilty to a first-degree sex offense in 2015, per NBC News, who cited court records. He had also pleaded guilty, according to the outlet, to first-degree assault in 2009 and second-degree assault in 2011.
Shortly after LaPere's passing, her company EcoMap Technologies reflected on their founder's legacy, noting that she "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," their Sept. 26 statement shared to Facebook read, "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."
E! News has reached out to the Baltimore Police Department for additional updates on this case and has not heard back. NBC News was unable to reach Billingsley's public defender for comment.
(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
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