BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA) — Police have made an arrest in the murder of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, the wife of music executive Clarence Avant, who was shot to death during a home invasion at the couple’s Beverly Hills home.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: (L-R) Jacqueline Avant and Clarence Avant attend the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Sean “Diddy” Combs on January 25, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
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The shooting was reported at the couple’s home in the 1100 block of Maytor Place at about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday. Avant was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she died. Clarence Avant and a security guard were also on the property at the time of the shooting but were not hurt.
“That’s good. We are happy that the police are doing something,” said Yafa Cohan, a neighbor.
Beverly Hills police Chief Mark Stainbrook identified the suspect as 29-year-old Aariel Maynor, whose vehicle was spotted on several surveillance videos driving eastbound out of the city shortly after the shooting that killed Avant.
LAPD’s Hollywood Division officers were alerted to a shooting and burglary call in the 6000 block of Graciosa Drive at about 3:30 a.m., where Maynor was found in the backyard of the home, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot.
(credit: Key News)
It was an “astute watch commander at Hollywood that, starting to put two and two together, and reached out to Beverly Hills,” according to LAPD Deputy Chief Blake Chow. Similarities between the two break-ins prompted Beverly Hills detectives to come out to Hollywood to investigate further.
With the arrest, police say they believe there is no further threat to the public, but the investigation is ongoing.
“At this time, we’re only looking at him as a suspect, but again, there’s a lot of evidence to go through, so we’re leaving open the possibility there could be other people involved,” Stainbrook said.
(credit: CDCR)
Stainbrook described Maynor as a parolee with an extensive criminal history. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he was most recently released to parole supervision on Sept. 1 after serving four years for second-degree robbery. He has previously served time for a separate robbery conviction and grand theft.
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Maynor was arrested by the LAPD and taken to a local hospital. Evidence connecting Maynor to the fatal shooting of Avant, including an AR-15 rifle, was collected by Beverly Hills police detectives, who have since taken over both burglary investigations. Beverly Hills police say he will be booked into jail when medically cleared by doctors.
