Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Jacqueline Avant, Philanthropist and Wife of Clarence Avant

U.S.|Police Arrest Suspect successful Fatal Shooting of Beverly Hills Philanthropist

The constabulary connected Thursday announced that they had arrested a fishy successful the fatal shooting of Jacqueline Avant, a philanthropist and the woman of the euphony shaper Clarence Avant, 1 time aft she was killed astatine her location successful Beverly Hills, Calif.

About an hr aft Ms. Avant, 81, was killed, the suspect, Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles, was arrested erstwhile helium accidentally changeable himself successful the ft portion burglarizing a location successful Hollywood, Chief Mark Stainbrook of the Beverly Hills Police Department said astatine a quality league connected Thursday.

The constabulary recovered Mr. Maynor successful the backyard of the location successful Hollywood aft they received a study of a shooting determination astatine 3:30 a.m. connected Wednesday, Chief Stainbrook said, adding that they besides recovered the firearm Mr. Maynor is believed to person utilized to sprout Ms. Avant. Mr. Maynor was taken to a hospital, wherever helium remains successful custody.

Ms. Avant was recovered with a gunshot coiled aft the constabulary received a study of a shooting astatine her location successful Beverly Hills astatine 2:23 a.m. connected Wednesday. Mr. Avant and a backstage information defender were astatine the location astatine the clip of the shooting, but were unharmed, the constabulary said.

Surveillance videos, including metropolis cameras, showed Mr. Maynor’s conveyance heading eastbound retired of Beverly Hills soon aft Ms. Avant was shot, Chief Stainbrook said.

The grounds indicates that Mr. Maynor acted unsocial successful the shooting, and his motive remains nether investigation, Chief Stainbrook said. Mr. Maynor has “an extended transgression record” and was connected parole, Chief Stainbrook said.

“Our deepest gratitude to The City of Beverly Hills, the B.H.P.D. and each instrumentality enforcement for their diligence connected this matter,” Ms. Avant’s household said successful a connection connected Thursday aft the constabulary announced the arrest. “Now, fto justness beryllium served.”

The fatal shooting of Ms. Avant prompted an outpouring of grief and condolences from salient figures successful the arts, sports and politics, including erstwhile President Bill Clinton, erstwhile Vice President Al Gore and the erstwhile Los Angeles Lakers prima Magic Johnson.

A onetime exemplary who was joined to Mr. Avant for much than 50 years, Ms. Avant was a past president of the Neighbors of Watts, a charitable enactment that threw star-studded benefits to enactment kid attraction and different needs. She was besides an simple schoolhouse tutor and an avid collector of Japanese lacquered boxes.

Mr. Avant started Sussex Records successful 1969 and signed Bill Withers, releasing immoderate of his best-known songs, including “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Use Me” and “Lean connected Me.” Over the years, helium besides worked with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Babyface. He helped beforehand Michael Jackson’s “Bad” satellite circuit successful 1987, and was president of the committee of Motown Records.

Mr. Avant was the taxable of a 2019 Netflix documentary, “The Black Godfather,” which featured testimonials from Mr. Clinton, erstwhile President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris, who was past a statesmanlike candidate.

The couple’s daughter, Nicole A. Avant, a erstwhile U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, was a shaper of “The Black Godfather,” and is joined to Ted Sarandos, a co-chief enforcement of Netflix.