Today, the man who pleaded guilty to the fatal shooting of Jacqueline Avant during a burglary at her residence in Beverly Hills, was sentenced to life in prison.
According to KABC, Aariel Maynor, 30, shot and killed Avant, the wife of legendary music executive Clarence, in the early hours of Dec. 1, 2021, in her home. He also admitted to firing at the family’s security guard, who was not harmed in the incident.
Deputy District Attorney Victor Avila told the judge that Maynor reportedly shot himself in the foot at a different home during another alleged burglary attempt in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood.
Maynor pleaded guilty to one count each of murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of residential burglary with a person present. He also admitted allegations of using an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes, along with admitting prior robbery convictions from 2013 and 2018.
In court Tuesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathryn Solorzano sentenced the ex-convict to three life prison terms, saying he will have to serve a minimum of 150 years behind bars. She also added that Maynor had been release on parole in September of last year, just three months prior Avant’s murder.
Maynor admitted to authorities that he shot Avant in the back during the burglary. After he was arrested, he was overheard talking to a friend on the phone while in jail, laughing about the shooting and saying that he wouldn’t serve more than 20 or 25 years for the shooting, according to the recordings played in court.
Mrs. Avant – highly regarded philanthropist in the community – was the president of the Neighborhood of Watts. She was also a member of the board for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and also served on the board of directors for UCLA’s International Student Center.
Her husband, known to many as the “Godfather of Black Music,” was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and was the subject of the Netflix documentary The Black Godfather, produced by his daughter, Nicole Avant. He was married to Jacqueline for 54 years.
Mrs. Avant’s death came as a shock to many, and several of the family’s friends and supporters praised her character and stressed how much she meant to the community.
“I know we use this term a lot, but she was truly an angel in this City of Angels,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “She and Clarence, Nicole, their daughter, I’ve known for many years, and I’ve seen and witnessed the way their generosity touched the lives and transformed the lives and even saved the lives of so many people in this city and in this country.”