Baltimore, Maryland – A lawsuit was filed Monday against Jason Billingsley by the two individuals he allegedly attempted to kill in a brutal attack in September. Billingsley, currently facing charges for the murder of Baltimore tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere, is also accused of attempted murder, rape, and arson in the assault against April Hurley and Jonte Gilmore. The attack occurred just days before LaPere was discovered dead in Mount Vernon.
Court documents reveal that Billingsley, a building maintenance worker, targeted Hurley at her Edmondson Avenue apartment building in Upton. He purportedly strangled and sexually assaulted Hurley, slashed her throat, and set her and Gilmore on fire before they miraculously managed to escape through a window from the basement apartment.
Hurley shared her terrifying ordeal with the media, emphasizing that Billingsley’s actions could have been prevented had they not been hired by her former landlord and property manager. The lawsuit filed in Baltimore Circuit Court implicated the building’s owner, Property Pals LLC, and its property management company, Eden’s Homes, for employing Billingsley and thus sharing liability for his alleged crimes.
According to Malcolm Ruff, Hurley’s attorney, the traumatic event has severely impacted her work and family life, as she still bears a large scar on her throat from the attack. The complainants contend that Eden’s Homes and Property Pals acted negligently in hiring and supervising Billingsley, failing to identify his violent criminal history.
Billingsley’s criminal record includes a conviction for a first-degree sex offense in 2013, presenting a troubling pattern of behavior that warranted greater scrutiny by his employers. Despite laws designed to facilitate the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into the workforce, it is crucial for employers to conduct thorough background checks to protect their employees and clients.
As the legal process unfolds, more details are expected to emerge regarding the motivations behind Billingsley’s attacks. Questions have been raised about the police response to the initial incident, prompting reflections on how similar tragedies could potentially be prevented in the future. The impact of such violent crimes reverberates within communities, underscoring the importance of robust measures to ensure public safety and accountability among employers in their hiring practices.