• Gabriela Gonzalez, 24, is charged with attempted murder, conspiracy, and solicitation of murder in an alleged plot to kill Why Don’t We singer Jack Avery.
• Her father Francisco Gonzalez — a Florida civil trial lawyer — and her then-boyfriend Kai Cordrey face the same charges.
• Prosecutors say the plot was rooted in a bitter custody dispute over the former couple’s now 7-year-old daughter.
• The FBI intercepted the scheme years ago; an undercover officer posing as a hitman gathered key evidence in September 2021.
• All three defendants face up to life in prison if convicted.

Jack Avery, the former Why Don’t We singer, came terrifyingly close to becoming the target of a murder-for-hire plot — allegedly orchestrated by his ex-girlfriend, her father, and her then-boyfriend — all over a custody battle involving their young daughter.

Gabriela Gonzalez, 24, was charged Tuesday with one count of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Alongside her: her father, Francisco Gonzalez, 59 — a civil trial lawyer based in Florida — and Kai Cordrey, 26, who Gabriela later married after splitting from Avery. All three face the same charges.

“This is a case where the defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder,” LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a news release.

How the Alleged Plot Unfolded

According to prosecutors, Gabriela Gonzalez began seeking help from Cordrey to find someone to kill Avery sometime between 2020 and 2021. Court records allege that the Gonzalez family wanted full custody of the couple’s child, and according to one witness, Gabriela allegedly said outright that she wanted Avery dead and discussed hiring a hitman to make it happen.

The alleged scheme escalated quickly. In April 2021, Francisco Gonzalez allegedly wired Cordrey $10,000 as front money. Two months later, when the supposed hitman asked for more, Cordrey allegedly went back to Francisco — and got another $4,000.

Then, in September 2021, an undercover FBI officer posing as a hitman made direct contact with Cordrey. During that conversation, Cordrey allegedly named Avery as the target and discussed both payment and — chillingly — proof of death.

The case was initiated by the FBI and later turned over to the LA County District Attorney’s Office after what Hochman described as a lengthy investigation. One source with direct knowledge of the case told the Los Angeles Times, which first detailed the alleged plot, that the FBI intercepted the scheme years ago and that Avery was never in immediate danger.

Who’s Involved — and Where They Are Now

Gabriela Gonzalez, who boasts over 450,000 followers on Instagram and is widely popular on TikTok for her lifestyle content — surfing and sunbathing around Maui — was booked into a Los Angeles County jail and is currently being held on $2 million bond. Her attorney, Elliot Zarabi, did not return requests for comment.

Her father Francisco is a notably prominent figure. A native of Venezuela, he works at the Florida-based firm Shahady & Wurtenberger, where he specializes in international cases. His personal Instagram includes posts questioning the 2020 presidential election results and a photo with his arm around Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He was arrested in Florida on a California warrant and appeared before a Seminole County judge Tuesday afternoon, where he waived extradition. He is now awaiting transfer to California to face charges. A representative for his law firm did not respond to a request for comment.

Cordrey — described by the LA Times as a Hawaiian surf instructor — was arrested Thursday according to Los Angeles County jail records. No attorney was listed for him. TMZ was first to break details of the alleged plot.

The California warrant also cited bank records, private investigator activity, and multiple witness statements tying the defendants to the scheme, according to the ABA Journal.

Avery Speaks Out

Avery, who has kept a relatively low profile since Why Don’t We disbanded, broke his silence on Instagram Thursday. He thanked prosecutors and law enforcement for their support and said his focus is on “being the best father I can be.”

Why Don’t We released their debut album in 2018 — featuring the fan-favorite track “8 Letters” — followed by a sophomore album in 2021 before going their separate ways. Avery has since been working on a solo career, dropping the single “XOXOX” earlier this year.

All three defendants face up to life in prison if convicted. For Avery, the priority is clear — and it has nothing to do with courtrooms or charges. It’s the 7-year-old daughter at the center of all of this.

The post Jack Avery’s Ex Charged in Dark Web Hitman Plot appeared first on Cream.

• TikTok influencer Gabbie Gonzalez was arrested in Humboldt County, CA and is being held without bail on conspiracy to commit murder charges
• Her alleged target: Why Don’t We singer Jack Avery, the father of her 7-year-old daughter Lavender
• Her father, Francisco Gonzalez, was also arrested in Florida in connection with the same alleged plot
• The alleged scheme dates back to 2021 and involved coded messages, $10,000 in payments, and plans to use the dark web and Bitcoin
• Gabbie’s estranged husband and former nanny are both key witnesses who helped crack the case open

TikTok influencer Gabbie Gonzalez — known to her more than a million followers for lifestyle content and motherhood posts — has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in an alleged plot to kill Jack Avery, the Why Don’t We singer who is the father of her 7-year-old daughter, Lavender. Her father, Francisco Gonzalez, has been arrested in Florida on the same charge. And the details coming out of court documents are nothing short of jaw-dropping.

Gabbie was taken into custody last week in Humboldt County, California, as she was attempting to board a flight — reportedly while traveling with Lavender. She was transferred Monday to Los Angeles County, where she’s currently jailed without bail. Her arraignment took place Tuesday in L.A. County court. Francisco was arrested Monday in Florida and has not yet been extradited to California.

How the Alleged Plot Unfolded

According to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, the alleged scheme stretches back to 2021 and was rooted in a bitter custody battle between Gabbie and Jack over their daughter. Francisco allegedly got deeply involved in that fight — and, according to a witness, made a chilling remark that it would simply be cheaper if Jack were dead.

Cops say Francisco’s original plan involved tracking and photographing Jack in Hawaii, where the singer lives, to capture footage of him smoking, drinking, or doing anything that could damage him in custody proceedings. But the alleged plan escalated far beyond surveillance.

In one alleged communication between family members, Francisco wrote: “Call Barca … never too early.” Authorities believe “Barca” refers to a man named Dustin Barca. Investigators say Gabbie and her friend Kai Cordrey later allegedly tried to recruit Barca to threaten Jack directly.

It didn’t stop there. According to an affidavit obtained by People, witnesses told investigators that Gabbie repeatedly said she wanted Jack dead and discussed hiring a hitman to make it happen. She and Cordrey allegedly talked about using the dark web and Bitcoin to arrange the murder — and even discussed staging it to look like a car accident.

Then came the money. A witness told police that Francisco electronically paid Kai $10,000 on April 26, 2021, described as “web-development payments.” Kai later told cops that was a cover story — no web services were ever performed. Armed with that information, a federal agent posed as the hitman and got Francisco on the phone. During that call, investigators say, Francisco made it clear he had made the payments, discussed the target, and used coded language — including the term “bullrun” — while also talking about prior Bitcoin payments and arranging “payment/accountability after completion.”

The Witnesses Who Blew It Open

Two people close to Gabbie’s inner circle ultimately helped bring the case to law enforcement: her former live-in nanny, McKenzie Ferry, and her estranged husband, Cody Clayburn.

McKenzie was the first to alert authorities — back in 2021, according to a source with direct knowledge of the case. Her report is what triggered an FBI raid on the Hawaii home Gabbie shared with Cody after their 2022 marriage (described as a ceremony, though not a legally recognized one). During that raid, agents confiscated electronics and interviewed Gabbie. But at the time, federal investigators felt they didn’t have enough evidence to move forward.

A frustrated lead investigator eventually handed the case over to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department last year. That agency re-interviewed witnesses — including both McKenzie and Cody — and determined there was enough to make arrests. Cops had originally planned to take Gabbie into custody during a child custody exchange this June, but when she stopped communicating with Jack, the timeline was accelerated.

Cody, for his part, didn’t stay quiet once the news broke. Shortly after TMZ published the story, he shared it on Instagram with a single word: “Karma.”

Jack Avery Had Already Been Warned — Sort Of

Jack Avery, who rose to fame as a member of Why Don’t We, has known something was wrong for a while. Last year, he revealed in an interview on the Zach Sang Show that FBI agents had shown up at his mom’s house and told him someone had been trying to have him killed. He said he knew the names of the alleged conspirators but wasn’t able to share them publicly.

When asked why someone would want him dead, Jack’s answer was painfully simple: “To get stress out of their life.” Asked what stress he could possibly be causing anyone, he said: “None.”

He also opened up about the toll the situation took on him — saying he was traumatized by the news and that he turned to alcohol during that period as his mental state deteriorated.

What makes the interview even more striking in hindsight: in that same conversation, Jack spoke warmly about Gabbie, calling her a “great” and “incredible mom” to Lavender. He apparently had no idea at the time that she was allegedly the one behind the plot.

Jack has not yet spoken publicly about the arrests. Francisco remains behind bars in Florida, awaiting extradition. And Gabbie — the influencer who built her following documenting motherhood, travel, and daily life — sits in an L.A. County jail without bail, facing a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

The post Influencer Gabbie Gonzalez Accused in Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Jack Avery appeared first on Cream.