Who was Pava LaPere? Tech executive killed in Baltimore grew up in Tucson
The 26-year-old tech company founder, whose death in Baltimore last week has drawn national attention, graduated from Tucson's Catalina Foothills High School.
Pava LaPere started the software development company EcoMap Technologies. The company has more than 30 employees, according to its website, and builds chatbots and online platforms that curate and map out information and resources for businesses and other institutions.
LaPere died of blunt force trauma, according to Baltimore Police.
Jason Billingsley, 32, was arrested Wednesday in connection with LaPere's death. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
LaPere's company released a statement praising her leadership and impact: "Her untiring commitment to our company, to Baltimore ... 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."
Who was Pava LaPere?
LaPere graduated from Catalina Foothills High School in 2015 before attending Johns Hopkins University. She graduated from college in 2019.
In 2018, LaPere founded EcoMap Technologies. Before that, she started Innov8MD, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting student entrepreneurs in Maryland. She was also named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for social impact in 2023.
At a memorial vigil in Baltimore on Wednesday, LaPere's father, Frank LaPere, remembered his daughter as a “stubborn and sly” girl who would sneak out to ride a bicycle in her hometown of Tucson and then sneak back in before her parents woke up.
“Tucson’s not a small city. But she was that way,” he said. “She's always, always been a leader, always been driven and creative.”
LaPere had left Tucson to attend Johns Hopkins, where she initially wanted to be a doctor before she “realized she didn’t like blood,” her father joked. According to her family, LaPere made Baltimore her home and saw the city's potential for opportunity.
Catalina Foothills Assistant Principal Chris Lambert remembers LaPere being a hard-working and thoughtful student when she was in his AP History class during her sophomore year.
"I remember her being a brilliant student, really motivated," he said. "Other students looked to her as an example, she took care of other kids, she was very mature for her age and very interested in her own academics and helping others."
What happened to her?
LaPere was found dead in her apartment complex late Monday morning after being reported missing, according to police.
At a news conference, Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said investigators believe LaPere was killed Friday night. Worley said there was no forced entry into the building.
On Wednesday night, Worley said, Billingsly was arrested without incident in Bowie, Maryland, a city between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
What is known about Jason Billingsley?
In 2015, Billingsley pleaded guilty to a first-degree sex offense through force or threat, court records show. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 16 years suspended, according to court records.
Billingsley was released in October 2022 because of diminution credits, which can reduce an inmate's term of imprisonment, according to the Baltimore State Attorney's Office.
He was released on mandatory supervision, according to Mark Vernarelli, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Before LaPere's death, police were searching for Billingsley in connection with a Sept. 19 rape, attempted murder and arson case in Baltimore, according to police.
After his October 2022 release, he was classified as a Tier-3 sex offender. Varnarelli said tier-3 sex offenders must re-register every three months. Billingsley failed to re-register, resulting in a warrant issued earlier this week.
USA Today and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republic’s coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pava LaPere, tech CEO killed in Baltimore, had Tucson roots
