The man who killed Jacqueline Avant, one of Los Angeles’ most connected philanthropists, will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
Aariel Maynor, 29, was sentenced to 150 years to life on Tuesday for shooting Avant in the back with an AR-15 assault rifle during a botched robbery at her Beverly Hills home in December 2021. Avant, 81, was the wife of revered music producer and entertainment executive Clarence “the Black Godfather” Avant.
Maynor pleaded guilty on March 3 to shooting Avant in the back after breaking into their home after midnight last Dec. 1. He also fired at an unarmed security guard there–for which he was charged with attempted murder–and later tried to break into another home. He was caught by police after accidentally shooting himself with the rifle during the second home invasion.
Maynor had a long criminal record in California. He was out on parole for only three months before he killed Avant and reportedly bragged that he thought he’d get out of jail again because prosecutors didn’t ask for the death penalty in the case.
From the Los Angeles Times
As Maynor sat in the Los Angeles County jail in December, he called a female friend and “laughed” about the killing and the publicity surrounding it, the sentencing document said. Avant was a noted philanthropist and political activist and the husband of music executive Clarence Avant.
“That’s not funny. That somebody’s life,” replied the unidentified woman.
Maynor continued to say he “was all over the news” and wondered, “You think my mama’s seen that, though?”...
…Before Christmas, he called a man and bragged that the district attorney did not seek the death penalty or life without parole by filing special circumstances murder. “I’m going get out of jail. I’ll probably do like 20 ... 25 years, get out, you feel me?”
The judge who sentenced him clearly didn’t pick up what Maynor put down. Although he’s technically eligible for parole, the 150-year minimum plus a consecutive 40-year sentence on other charges, including the second robbery attempt and firing at the security guard, effectively mean he’ll never see the street again.