Jacki Avant, wife of “legendary music executive” Clarence Avant, was shot dead in the family’s Trousdale Estates home, apparently during a home invasion robbery. Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook held a briefing Wednesday to declare his “police department will not rest until the killer is caught.” Then they caught one.
Shot during a break-in
The Chief of Beverly Hills Police, Mark Stainbrook, held a press availability on Wednesday. He proceeded to explain how some local socialist anarchists trying to share the wealth amassed by “The Black Godfather” murdered the mother-in-law of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
Jacqueline Avant was shot and killed “when a group of people broke into the home and one opened fire, hitting Jacqueline.” They managed to get her to a local hospital but she didn’t make it.
The robbery happened Tuesday, November 30. TMZ reports that both Avants were home at the time 81-year-old Jacqueline was shot. Clarence Avant was recently inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He also was featured in the 2019 Netflix documentary “The Black Godfather,” which focused in on “his influence in pop culture and Black music.”
Before her life ended by tragically being shot, “Jacqueline was the President of the Neighbors of Watts, a support group that focused on child care as well as a member of the Board of Directors of UCLA’s International Student Center.”
One suspect has already been arrested.
One suspect under arrest
In an update on Thursday, the Beverly Hills PD announced that a “suspect has been arrested in connection.” It’s not clear if he fired the gun Mrs. Avant was shot by. They did, at least, release his name.
The police identified 29-year-old Aariel Maynor. They also provided more details about the break-in itself.
The police were initially called to the couple’s estate early Wednesday morning. The call reporting Jacqueline had been shot came in at 2:23 a.m. and officers responded fast.
When they got there they rendered first aid on the scene and rushed her to the hospital, to no avail. Police aren’t saying much about a motive.
It seems a little strange that Chief Sainbrook is claiming that it’s “too early in the investigation to discuss a possible motive” which left the philanthropist dead after practically calling it a robbery gone bad. Maynor allegedly shot himself in the foot with his AR-15.
The Chief did confirm there was “a private security guard on the property at the time, but it was not clear how that individual may have interacted with the suspects.” That has folks speculating that maybe it wasn’t a robbery after all. Could it have been a planned assassination? Apparently the Chief is keeping his options open.
