Suspect in murder of Jacqueline Avant arrested after shooting self in foot

Aariel Maynor has been arrested for the fatal shooting of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant during a horrific home invasion robbery at her Beverly Hills home.

Maynor, 29, was arrested and taken into custody after he allegedly shot himself in the foot at the scene of another residential burglary in the Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills Police said Thursday.

Aariel Maynor’s arrest

His arrest by LAPD officers followed only about an hour after Avant’s shooting, but because it was in a different jurisdiction and involved Maynor receiving medical treatment, it took some time before “an astute watch commander” linked it to the Avant case and contacted Beverly Hills Police, LAPD Deputy Chief Blake Chow said Thursday.

The 911 call that led to Maynor’s arrest came in around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Officers with LAPD’s Hollywood Division responded to the 6000 block of Graciosa Drive and found Maynor with a gunshot wound to his foot in the backyard of a residence, authorities said.

Home invasion

Avant, 81, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center but did not survive the brutal attack that unfolded shortly before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday at her Trousdale Estates home, officials said.

Her husband, music executive Clarence Avant and a private security guard were present at the time of the shooting but were not injured.

“They interviewed people that were living in that residence. They collected evidence of a burglary and also evidence of a shooting, including the rifle,” Blake said, identifying the firearm as an AR-15 assault weapon.

“He has an extensive criminal record. He’s on parole,” Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook said of Maynor at an afternoon press conference. “At this time we’re looking at only him as a suspect.”

Stainbrook said investigators were working on ballistics evidence recovered from the two scenes to possibly match the recovered AR-15 rifle to Avant’s death.

Jacqueline Avant

Jacqueline Avant was a prominent philanthropist who worked to improve the lives of people living in low-income neighborhoods such as Watts and South Los Angeles. She also was a board member for UCLA’s International Student Center.

In a statement, Avant’s family thanked people for their “outpouring of love, support and condolences.”

“Jacqueline was an amazing woman, wife, mother, philanthropist, and a 55 year resident of Beverly Hills, who has made an immeasurable positive contribution and impact on the arts community,” the statement said. “She will be missed by her family, friends and all of the people she has helped throughout her amazing life.”

Update: Aariel Maynor plead guilty to murder was sentenced life in prison on Tuesday, April 19th