Prosecutors say singer Jack Avery was the target of a murder-for-hire plot organized by social-media influencer Gabbie Gonzalez.
Photo: JC Olivera/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Social-media influencer Gabbie Gonzalez was charged on Tuesday for allegedly conspiring with her father and ex-partner in a murder-for-hire plot against singer Jack Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don’t We, in 2021. Prosecutors claim the trio hatched the scheme amid a custody dispute between Gonzalez and Avery involving their then-infant daughter. Gabbie; her father, Francisco Gonzalez; and her ex-boyfriend Kai Faron Cordrey, are each facing one count of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder, Rolling Stone reported.
“This was a lengthy investigation that was initiated by the FBI and eventually turned over to our office, resulting in criminal charges being filed today,” Los Angeles County DA Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement on Tuesday. “This is a case where the defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder. Most fathers raise their children to respect the law, but here we have a dad who allegedly helped his daughter and her boyfriend break the law in the most sinister way imaginable.”
Here’s what we know about the case.
Gabbie, who is 24, is a lifestyle influencer with a following of nearly half a million on Instagram and TikTok. (Her Instagram bio describes her as a “lover of life” and a “mermaid at heart.”) Her father, Francisco, 59, is a Florida-based lawyer who specializes in international cases, per the Los Angeles Times. Her ex-partner Cordrey, 26, is a surf instructor.
Gabbie and Avery began dating in 2018 as teenagers and welcomed their daughter, Lavender, a year later, according to local news station WFTV. The relationship ended shortly after, prosecutors say, and the exes entered a bitter custody dispute. Witnesses told investigators that Gabbie’s father was “hostile” toward Avery and that the family was “obsessed” with gaining full custody of Lavender, People reported. Francisco allegedly hired a private investigator to try to get evidence of Avery “acting in a way that could be used against him in the custody dispute,” according to court filings reviewed by USA Today.
Prosecutors claim Gabbie “repeatedly discussed wanting Jack Avery dead” between October 2020 and May 2021, and that, around that time, she recruited her then-partner Cordrey to hire a hit man on the dark web who could kill Avery and make it “appear to be an accident,” per Rolling Stone. In April 2021, Francisco allegedly sent Cordrey $10,000 to carry out the plot. The filing also said that Cordrey created “a dark-web murder-for-hire account” and shared information in May 2021 identifying Avery as the target, including disclosing his Los Angeles address and saying he “should be killed by whatever method was easiest.” Two months later, the supposed hit man demanded an additional $4,000, which Francisco provided to Cordrey, prosecutors claim. Then, in September 2021, an undercover FBI agent posed as a hit man and spoke with Cordrey about the scheme, investigators say. Cordrey allegedly discussed payment, asked for proof of death, and later told the undercover agent that Gabbie “wanted the murder to happen” and that her father would cover the costs.
Gabbie, her father, and Cordrey were charged this week with one count of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. Gabbie was arrested last week in Northern California, while her father was detained Monday in Florida. As of Wednesday morning, it was unclear if Cordrey had been detained.
On Tuesday, the singer filed for a temporary restraining order against Gabbie Gonzalez in Los Angeles County Family Court, according to TMZ. He is also seeking “sole legal and physical custody” of their daughter and asked that Gabbie have no visitation while the case plays out. Avery also claimed that their daughter, who is now 7, was temporarily placed with a foster family in Northern California following Gabbie’s arrest last week and that he had to rush to pick her up over the weekend.
In court documents, Avery said that he has experienced ongoing harassment from Gabbie and is concerned about his safety. Per Rolling Stone, authorities first warned him of the murder-for-hire plot in 2021, when the FBI started its investigation. “Gabriela attempted to kill me by hiring a hit man,” his filing reads, per the New York Post. “Gabriela is not stable and not able to act in the best interest of our daughter.”
Gabbie’s arraignment is set to continue on Thursday, after her attorneys asked for more time to review evidence. A judge set her bail at $2 million; he also ordered her to have no contact with Avery and their child and to stay at least 100 yards from them, according to Rolling Stone. Fransciso is currently being held without bond and waived extradition when he first appeared in a Florida courtroom, People reported. Prosecutors say that, if convicted, the three accused could each face a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
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