Avant Shooting: Man Pleads Guilty To Murder

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A Los Angeles man on Thursday pleaded guilty to murder and other counts in the shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, wife of celebrated music executive Clarence Avant, during a robbery at the couple's Trousdale Estates home in Beverly Hills.

Aariel Maynor, 30, could face up to 170 years to life when he is sentenced March 30. He also admitted to shooting at a security guard who was present when Avant died.

Maynor pleaded not guilty to murder and other counts in December. On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to one count each of murder, attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of residential burglary with a person present.

He also admitted to allegations of using an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes. He also admitted prior robbery convictions from 2013 and 2018.

Maynor appeared in court in a wheelchair and wearing a suicide-prevention vest. His arraignment had previously been postponed for an unknown condition. Maynor was sent to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his foot shortly after Avant was killed, according to Beverly Hills police.

Avant was fatally shot during a home invasion around on Dec. 1 around 2 a.m. at her Beverly Hills residence located at the 1100 block of Maytor Place. She was taken to Cedars-Sanai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

The city of Beverly Hills has since been rattled by Avant's death, which strengthened local fears about crime amid other flashy crimes in the city.

Jacqueline Avant was an active member of the Beverly Hills community and the city's entertainment industry. She was a philanthropist who served on the board of directors of the University of California, Los Angeles' International Student Center. Her husband, Clarence Avant, is a music industry legend who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.

City News Service contributed to this story.