All three Wednesday morning network shows covered the news that 26-year old tech CEO Pava LaPere was murdered in Baltimore setting off a desperate manhunt for Jason Billingsley, but none of them managed to mention the role Democrat, progressive icon, and Soros-backed Marilyn Mosby had in releasing him from prison.
Not only did CBS Mornings omit any reference to Mosby, they didn’t even mention that he was released at all. Host Tony Dokoupil began by stating, “An arrest warrant issued in Baltimore over the murder of a tech CEO. Police say 26-year-old Pava LaPere found dead Monday hours after she was reported missing.”
He then handed things over to CBS News Baltimore’s Alexus Davila who was not much better, “Police say 26-year-old Pava LaPere was found with signs of blunt force trauma at this luxury apartment building in downtown Baltimore, Monday. Thirty-two year-old Jason Dean Billingsley is wanted for first-degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment, among other charges.”
Acting police commissioner Richard Worley was then shown at a press conference claiming that “This individual will kill and he will rape.”
Meanwhile, over at ABC’s Good Morning America, host Robin Roberts introduced the segment and correspondent Erielle Reshef, “But now to the search for the suspect in the killing of a 26-year-old tech executive found dead in a Baltimore apartment. Erielle Reshef is here with the latest.”
Reshef managed to mention that Billingsley was paroled, but left out any reference to Mosby or soft-on-crime Democratic prosecutors, “Good morning to you, Robin. Certainly a tragedy and state and federal law enforcement are searching for the suspect with a violent, criminal past. Authorities say he was released on parole just last year after serving part of a 30-year sentence and after the murder of that young tech executive, they are warning he's capable of anything.”
After a slightly extended version of the same Worley clip CBS played, Reshef added, “U.S. Marshals joining Baltimore police in the search for 32-year-old Jason Dean Billingsly wanted for first degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment.”
Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott was then shown alluding to Billingsly’s release, “We are working with every law enforcement partner to-- that we have to make sure that we bring this individual who, quite frankly, shouldn't have been out on the streets in the first place, into custody.”
Similar to Reshef was NBC’s Today and correspondent Emilie Ikeda, “An incredibly tragic story, law enforcement at every level is scouring Baltimore to locate this accused killer we're learning has a violent past. Just a year out of jail he's wanted for the death of a young woman seen as a rising star in the tech industry.”
After another extended version of the Worley clip, Ikeda reported, “Billingsly has a lengthy rap sheet, including a sex offense and assault convictions according to officials who say he was released from jail last fall, fueling frustrations from the mayor.”
Scott was then shown declaring, “We are tired of talking about the same people committing the same kind of crimes over and over again.”
While it is good and proper that all three networks also wanted to spend time on the victim, they should also have spent time expanding on why Billingsly was released or in CBS’s case, they should have, at least, mentioned it.
Here are transcripts for the September 27 shows:
CBS Mornings
9/27/2023
7:24 AM ET
TONY DOKOUPIL: An arrest warrant issued in Baltimore over the murder of a tech CEO. Police say 26-year-old Pava LaPere found dead Monday hours after she was reported missing. Alexus Davila from CBS News Baltimore has more.
BRANDON SCOTT: We have a young woman who had a life taken away, and we have someone that we know cowardly took that life that we're going to find.
ALEXUS DAVILA: Police say 26-year-old Pava LaPere was found with signs of blunt force trauma at this luxury apartment building in downtown Baltimore, Monday. Thirty-two year-old Jason Dean Billingsley is wanted for first-degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment, among other charges.
RICHARD WORLEY: This individual will kill and he will rape.
DAVILA: Police have not identified a motive in LaPere’s death, but many are in shock, including Baltimore's mayor who said he got to know the entrepreneur on a personal level.
***
ABC Good Morning America
9/27/2023
8:04 AM ET
ROBIN ROBERTS: But now to the search for the suspect in the killing of a 26-year-old tech executive found dead in a Baltimore apartment. Erielle Reshef is here with the latest. Good morning, Erielle.
ERIELLE RESHEF: Good morning to you, Robin. Certainly a tragedy and state and federal law enforcement are searching for the suspect with a violent, criminal past. Authorities say he was released on parole just last year after serving part of a 30-year sentence and after the murder of that young tech executive, they are warning he's capable of anything.
This morning, the urgent manhunt in Baltimore for a murder suspect accused of killing a celebrated young tech entrepreneur. Authorities warning he is believed to be armed and dangerous.
RICHARD WORLEY: This individual will kill and he will rape, he will do anything he can to cause harm.
RESHEF: Twenty-six year-old executive Pava LaPere found dead by blunt force trauma in her apartment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have codes to get into the building. So, I mean, how did this happen?
RESHEF: U.S. Marshals joining Baltimore police in the search for 32-year-old Jason Dean Billingsly wanted for first degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment.
BRANDON SCOTT: We are working with every law enforcement partner to-- that we have to make sure that we bring this individual who, quite frankly, shouldn't have been out on the streets in the first place, into custody.
***
NBC Today
9/27/2023
7:31 AM ET
EMILIE IKEDA: An incredibly tragic story, law enforcement at every level is scouring Baltimore to locate this accused killer we're learning has a violent past. Just a year out of jail he's wanted for the death of a young woman seen as a rising star in the tech industry.
This morning, a massive manhunt in Baltimore, police searching for this man: 32-year-old Jason Billingsly.
RICHARD WORLEY: We know he probably is armed and dangerous.
IKEDA: Authorities believe he murdered 26 year-old tech CEO Pava LaPere who was found dead in an apartment building with signs of blunt force drama. Investigators do not believe LaPere knew her killer and offered this chilling warning to residents of the area.
WORLEY: This individual will do anything he can to kill and he will rape, he will do anything he can to cause harm so please be aware of your souroundings.
IKEDA: Billingsly has a lengthy rap sheet, including a sex offense and assault convictions according to officials who say he was released from jail last fall, fueling frustrations from the mayor.
BRANDON SCOTT: We are tired of talking about the same people committing the same kind of crimes over and over again.
