UPDATED 12/7, 8:40 a.m. ET: Suspect Aariel Maynor is now facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and felon with a firearm. Additionally, he’s been hit with two counts of residential burglary with person present. In a statement, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón remembered Jacqueline Avant as a “treasured member” of the community.
“Her generosity and good will touched so many lives,” Gascón said. “My office is working closely with the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments in the investigation and prosecution of this case. We must continue to work together to hold accountable the people who commit violent crimes against our community.”
In a new report on Tuesday, TMZ—citing sources “close to the situation”—said that Avant’s family believes she was awake at the time she was fatally shot. Clarence Avant, however, is believed to have been asleep. While a guard is believed to have been on patrol in the front of the Trousdale Estates residence, the suspect reportedly made his entry via a side yard.
UPDATED 12/2, 4:34 p.m. ET: Jacqueline Avant’s alleged killer, 29-year-old Aariel Maynor, was apprehended in a different home’s backyard about an hour after the fatal shooting. Police revealed he attempted to forcibly enter another home and wound up shooting himself in the foot using an AR-15. Arrest photo showed him handcuffed to a wheelchair.
TMZ noted Maynor’s criminal history includes a four-year sentence for second-degree robbery, plus enhancements due to a felony conviction before that. He was let out on parole on Sept. 1. The outlet added that Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook confirmed it’s too soon to determine if Maynor was familiar with the family or if the burglary was random.
UPDATED 12/2, 10:20 a.m. ET: In a series of updates on the story, TMZ wrote that a security guard at the home was also shot, and that Clarence Avant was not harmed. Jacqueline was shot in the stomach and “the family was shocked she didn’t pull through.” Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook provided few details in a press conference, but did say the attack was evidently not random.
The outlet also reported that in Trousdale Estate, “just last week a bunch of neighbors got together and hired a private security firm” after a “spike in home and vehicle burglaries.” The neighbors put their money together for the move, but patrols had not yet begun.
Tyler Perry tweeted about the tragic news, insisting that “you can rest assured that every available resource will be used to find whoever is responsible for this awful nightmare.”
See original story below.
Jacqueline Avant, wife of music industry legend Clarence Avant, was reportedly fatally shot in their home during a robbery.
The Beverly Hill Police Department told TMZ—which reports the couple was married for 54 years—that they received a call about a home invasion at around 2:30 a.m. coming from the Trousdale Estates, a high-end neighborhood in the area.
Per a “family source,” the invaders broke into the Avants’ home and began firing, striking 81-year-old Jacqueline and killing her. Clarence was in the house, although it’s currently unclear if he was harmed.
Jacqueline, who was known for her philanthropic work, was a former Ebony Fashion Fair model in her early years and went on to become the president of the Neighbors of Watts, a support group for the South Central Community Child Care Center. She was also an entertainment chairman of the NOW benefit auction and NOW membership.
Clarence Avant was just inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the same 2021 class as Jay-Z, and Hov is among the many other iconic artists who have shown respect to the pioneering music executive. Known as the “Godfather of Black Music,” Avant is responsible for launching one of the first Black-owned radio stations in the country, Avant Garde Broadcasting, and managed several notable jazz artists under his Sussex Records label.
In the ’80s, Avant led the songwriting/production teams of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, L.A. Reid, and Babyface, and he played a key role on the promotions team for Michael Jackson’s 1987 Bad world tour.
In 2019, Netflix launched its original documentary The Black Godfather, which centered around Avant and his pivotal role in music. During the doc, several notable figures including former President Barack Obama spoke about Avant’s impact. “One of the things that he understands is that there are different kinds of power,” former President Obama said. “There’s the power that needs the spotlight, but there is also the power that comes from being behind the scenes.”
Avant’s daughter, Nicole Avant, also spoke about the impact her mother had on her father and how important she was to his growth.
“My mom is really the one who brought to my father and our family the love and passion and importance of the arts and culture and entertainment,” she recalled. “While my father was in it, making all the deals, my mother was the one who gave me, for example, my love of literature, my love of filmmaking, my love of storytelling.”
Nicole is married to the co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos.
