Baltimore, Maryland – A horrific crime shocked Baltimore residents when April Hurley and her friend were brutally attacked in her home by a maintenance worker, Jason Billingsley, on September 19, 2023. Hurley and her guest, Jonte Gilmore, were left traumatized after the violent assault, leading to a lawsuit against Eden’s Homes, Property Pals, and Billingsley by attorneys from Murphy, Falcon and Murphy.
Court documents revealed the gruesome details of the attack, where Billingsley allegedly sliced Hurley’s throat, tortured her, sexually assaulted her, and set both her and Gilmore on fire in her Upton home. Fortunately, they were able to survive after receiving emergency care at Shock Trauma.
In another tragic incident, Baltimore tech founder Pava LaPere was found dead on the rooftop of her Mount Vernon apartment building, having been strangled and beaten to death. Billingsley was later identified as the perpetrator and apprehended in Bowie, Maryland, on September 27. It was uncovered that Billingsley, a registered sex offender and felon, was employed by both Eden’s Homes and Property Pals, the companies overseeing Hurley’s residence.
During a press conference, Hurley emotionally expressed her gratitude for surviving the ordeal and blamed her former landlord and property manager for hiring Billingsley, stating that the attack could have been prevented. The lawsuit filed by Hurley alleges that the companies are vicariously liable for her assault under respondeat superior and negligent for not conducting a background check on Billingsley, which would have revealed his criminal history.
Malcolm P. Ruff, a trial attorney and associate at Murphy, Falcon and Murphy, criticized the companies for failing to vet Billingsley, highlighting his violent past and the risks associated with allowing him access to residents’ homes. The handling of Hurley’s case by the Baltimore Police Department was also called into question, with Ruff pointing out discrepancies in the treatment of Hurley’s attack compared to LaPere’s murder.
Despite Maryland’s lack of a law mandating background checks for employees, Hurley’s legal team argued that Eden’s Homes and Property Pals had a responsibility to ensure the safety of their residents by thoroughly investigating employees with access to their homes. As the lawsuit seeks compensation exceeding $75,000, the defendants have yet to provide a response to the allegations.