Aariel Maynor, the man charged with the murder of famed Los Angeles philanthropist Jacqueline Avant in December, has pled guilty to murder, attempted murder, felon in possession of a handgun, and two counts of burglary.
Maynor allegedly stormed into Jacqueline’s Trousdale Estates house in Beverly Hills with an AR-15 rifle soon before 2 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Times. 1st of December The 30-year-old then opened fire, murdering Avant, the wife of Clarence Avant, a prominent music executive.
Maynor also shot at Jacqueline’s security guard, according to prosecutors, before fleeing in a car.
“This crime continues to shock the conscience,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement on Thursday. “Mrs. Avant’s death was a tragic loss felt by our entire community.”
Maynor, according to Gascón, faces a sentence of more than 100 years in prison. On March 30, he is due in court for his sentencing.
According to Greg Risling, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, most elderly offenders or those who have served 20 years in state prison must be eligible for parole under California law. Maynor, on the other hand, will not be eligible for early release due to his previous convictions. Three months before shooting Jacqueline, the 30-year-old was released from state jail after being convicted of robbery and causing grievous bodily injury.
According to police, the 81-year-old philanthropist was shot three times after the culprit entered the house by smashing a sliding glass door with a rock.
According to authorities, Clarence was at home at the time, but he did not witness the shooting. When authorities arrived, the music producer was cradling his wife’s body.
Officers discovered Maynor in the backyard of a Hollywood Hills home shortly after the incident. He shot himself in the foot during another attempted burglary, according to police.
Clarence told police that he heard an altercation before the shooting erupted, but it’s unclear why Maynor chose the Avants’ home as a target.
Jacqueline was the president of Neighborhood of Watts, a child-care assistance organization in South Los Angeles. She also made frequent donations to UCLA’s International Student Center.
“It is still hard to believe she is gone for no reason. We are comforted this person has pled guilty to this most horrendous act,” Michael Lawson, a friend of the Avant family and president of the Los Angeles Urban League, said, according to the Times. “We are all still mourning this senseless loss. I personally can only hope this is of some small solace to Clarence and his family.”
