A man who fatally shot Jacqueline Avant, a philanthropist and wife of music producer Clarence Avant, in a burglary at her home in Beverly Hills, California in December was sentenced Tuesday to 190 years in prison, authorities said.
The man, Aariel Maynor, 30, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon and burglary in Los Angeles Superior Court last month for killing Ms Avant, 81, and trying to steal her security guard kill , so a judgment note.
According to the memorandum, Mr. Maynor broke into the Avants’ Beverly Hills home early on December 1 and shot Ms. Avant in the back. She had been at home with her husband, who police found on the ground after they shot her in the head. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
About an hour after killing Ms Avant, Mr Maynor was arrested when he broke into a Hollywood home after accidentally shooting himself in the foot, the Beverly Hills Police Department said at the time.
Following the sentence issued by Judge Kathryn Solorzano, Mr. Maynor, who was on parole at the time of the murder, is ineligible for parole, the Los Angeles County Attorney’s Office said.
Marcus M. Huntley, Mr Maynor’s public defender, declined to comment Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement Tuesday, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said Mr. Maynor’s guilty plea helped the Avant family avoid a “traumatizing” trial.
“Today marks the end of a tragic event that has rocked our community,” he said. “In a completely senseless act, Los Angeles lost Jacqueline Avant, a community leader and philanthropist.”
Following the killing, a number of prominent artists, athletes and politicians expressed their condolences, including former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore and former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson.
Ms. Avant, a former model and elementary school teacher, was a past president of Neighbors of Watts, an organization that hosted high-profile performances to raise money for childcare and other needs.
Her husband is a well-known music executive who founded Sussex Records in 1969. He signed Bill Withers and released some of his most famous songs, including “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me”.
Mr. Avant was the subject of a 2019 Netflix documentary, The Black Godfather, which included interviews with Mr. Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who was then a presidential candidate.