A parolee has been charged with the murder of music icon Clarence Avant's wife, Jacqueline Avant, as well as the attempted murder of her security guard during an armed robbery.
Aariel Maynor, 29, was charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder, and being a felon with a firearm, according to CBSLA. He also faces two counts of residential burglary with a person present, and an allegation of using an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes.
The home invasion shooting took place Wednesday at Jacqueline and Clarence's Beverly Hills home. Details of the incident are vague. Chief Mark Stainbrook of the Beverly Hills Police Department previously suggested that Jacqueline may have been deliberately targeted.
"I don’t think it’s a random attack, but I can’t speculate on that right now," he noted last week, according to The New York Times.
It has since been confirmed that a security guard was at the scene. Maynor had reportedly shot at him but the security guard managed to escape uninjured. Clarence was not hurt in the robbery.
Maynor fled the scene before police arrived but was arrested shortly after at another break-in at a home in the Hollywood Hills, CBSLA reported. He was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his foot and an AR-15 rifle nearby.
Maynor was initially scheduled to be arraigned Monday, but he was forced to undergo surgery, pushing his arraignment to Tuesday.
"Jacqueline was an amazing woman, wife, mother and philanthropist and a 55-year resident of Beverly Hills who has made an immeasurable positive impact on the arts community," Jacqueline's family said in a statement, according to CNN. "She will be missed by her family, friends, and all of the people she has helped throughout her amazing life."
Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., also paid tribute to Jacqueline, whose death she described as "tragic" and "shocking" in a statement obtained by CNN.
"Mrs. Avant was a force of compassion and empowerment locally and nationally for decades, as well as a model of service and giving back to those who needed it most," Bass said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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