BREAKING: Baltimore mayor says arrest of murder suspect who was out on early parole after violent rape is a ‘message’ the city won’t tolerate criminals | The Post Millennial
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BREAKING: Baltimore mayor says arrest of murder suspect who was out on early parole after violent rape is a ‘message’ the city won’t tolerate criminals
Billingsley was tracked down and captured around 11:10 pm at a MARC train station in Bowie, Maryland.
The suspect wanted in connection with the brutal murder of a 26-year-old Baltimore tech CEO Pava LaPere has been captured by police. Jason Billingsley, 32, was arrested late Wednesday night following a manhunt that lasted two days and involved law enforcement officers from numerous agencies.
Billingsley, who has a long criminal history, now faces one count of first-degree murder, as well as a slew of other charges related to incidents that took place before LaPere's death, including attempted murder and rape.
According to Fox Baltimore, Billingsley was tracked down and captured around 11:10 pm at a MARC train station on Laurel-Bowie Road in Bowie, Maryland, 30 miles south of Baltimore.
In a press conference on Thursday morning, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said that Billingsley did not resist arrest, and was taken away without incident or injury.
Mayor Brandon Scott commended law enforcement for their actions, and warned would-be criminals that the city would not tolerate their actions.
"I hope this sends a message to everybody else who likes to commit these cowardly, horrendous acts to know that we will ... pull you off the streets of Baltimore."
In 2009, Billingsley pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, and then two years later he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. In 2015, Billingsley was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to a yet another crime, this time a first-degree sex offense.
He was released from prison in October by the office of Soros-backed former State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby after serving just seven years.
Following LaPere's death, Scott questioned why Billingsley was allowed to walk free, saying, "There is no way in hell that he should have been out on the street."
"When the police go out and do their job, as they did in this case ... and the state's attorney goes out and does their work, gets the conviction, the conviction should be the conviction," Scott continued. "We are tired of talking about the same people committing the same kind of crimes over and over again."
The CEO and founder of EcoMap Technologies had been featured on Forbes' "30 Under 30" list, and according to those who knew her, was "driven, creative, hard-working and relentless in her efforts."
She was found with injuries resulting from "blunt force trauma" to her head in her Baltimore apartment on September 25.
During the press conference, authorities revealed that Billingsley had been employed at the building, thus giving him access to LaPere's apartment.
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