Jacqueline Avant’s killer sentenced to 150 years

A man was sentenced Tuesday to more than 150 years to life in state prison for murdering philanthropist Jacqueline Avant at her Beverly Hills home late last year, officials said. Jaqueline Avant is the wife of Clarence Avant, also known as The Black Godfather.

Aariel Maynor, 30, entered an open plea last month to one count each of first-degree murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a felon as well as two counts of first-degree residential burglary with person present, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said. He also admitted an allegation that he used an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes.

“We asked for the maximum sentence,” Victor Avila of the D.A.’s office said Tuesday. “He was sentenced and held accountable for the murder of Ms. Jacqueline Avant, for the attempted murder of a security guard [and] for two separate residential burglaries.”

On Dec. 1, 2021, Maynor broke into Avant’s Beverly Hills home and fatally shot her. The 81-year-old victim was the wife of music legend Clarence Avant.

Maynor also shot at a security guard, who was not injured.

The incident was reported around 2:25 a.m. in the upscale neighborhood of Trousdale Estates. Responding officers from the Beverly Hills Police Department found Avant suffering from a gunshot wound.

She was taken to a hospital, where she later died.