OAN’s James Meyers
3:37 PM – Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Authorities in Baltimore are looking for a man who is believed to have killed a young female tech CEO who was discovered dead in her residence on Monday.
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Pava LaPere, 26, the CEO and founder of EcoMap Technologies, who also earned a spot on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, was found dead on Monday at around 11:30 a.m. inside her room with “blunt-force trauma.”
On Tuesday, police stated that they had issued a warrant for first-degree murder and additional charges.
Authorities also said that the suspect is considered armed and dangerous.
“He will kill and rape,” according to their statement, which was mentioned at a news conference on Tuesday.
It is unclear whether the young CEO had any guests over the night prior to her death, but it appeared that she was single from her social media accounts.
“That’s pretty horrifying,” building tenant Chris McNees told CBS News Baltimore.
“I mean, just for that to happen anywhere in the city is obviously a bad thing, but it’s hard to imagine why this would happen specifically in this building.”
LaPere had been living in the Congress Hotel, where rent is almost $1,500 per month, according to the building’s management company Zahlco.
She originally started her company from her dorm room at Johns Hopkins University. The goal of the company was to make ecosystems information accessible to everyone along with “powerful technology to digitize ecosystems,” according to the company’s website.
“Whether you’re talking about a college alumni network or an entire industry, ecosystems are largely invisible. When ecosystems are invisible, they are inaccessible. When they are inaccessible, they are inequitable. When they are inequitable, they are inefficient. We’re making the invisible, visible so that all ecosystems can thrive,” it said.
LaPere’s company also released a statement following her tragic death, sending its condolences and calling her passing “deeply distressing.”
“Pava 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, 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,” it said in a statement, according to CBS News Baltimore.
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