Liputan6.com, Jakarta - TikTok star Gabbie Gonzalez and her father, Francisco Gonzalez, have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged plot to murder Jack Avery.
Avery is a former member of the boy band Why Don't We and the father of Gabbie Gonzalez's 7-year-old daughter, Lavender.
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This case comes amidst a long-running child custody dispute between Gonzalez and Avery.
Gabbie Gonzalez, 24, was arrested on May 15, 2026, in Northern California and then transferred to Los Angeles on May 18, 2026.
She is scheduled to face trial on May 19, 2026.
Her father, Francisco Gonzalez, 59, was arrested on May 18, 2026, in Florida and is awaiting extradition to California to face similar charges.
In addition to Gabbie and her father, Gabbie's ex-boyfriend, Kai Faron Cordrey, 26, was also charged in the case.
The three face one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder, as reported by TMZ.
Alleged Murder Plot Uncovered
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stated that Gabbie Gonzalez is being held without bail on a felony conspiracy to commit murder charge.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman confirmed that this was a lengthy investigation initially handled by the FBI before being handed over to his office.
The investigation has been ongoing for some time, with Jack Avery himself being interviewed by FBI agents last year, where he was told of an attempt to kill him.
The murder plot allegedly began in 2021 in Hawaii, involving multiple parties and complex methods.
Court documents indicate that Gabbie and Cordrey first attempted to involve former MMA fighter Dustin Barca in threatening Avery.
However, Dustin Barca was never involved in any illegal activity and was not charged in the case.
Between 2020 and 2021, Gabbie Gonzalez allegedly sought help from her ex-boyfriend, Cordrey, to hire someone on the dark web to kill Avery.
Francisco Gonzalez then allegedly sent Cordrey $10,000 in April 2021 as a down payment to find and pay a hitman.
Two months later, Cordrey allegedly requested and received an additional $4,000 from Francisco Gonzalez after the alleged hitman requested additional funds.
Chronology of the Attempted Murder
A thorough investigation revealed details of the modus operandi used in this alleged plot.
In September 2021, Cordrey allegedly had a discussion with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman, discussing payment, proof of death, and identifying Jack Avery as the target.
Cordrey then allegedly told the undercover officer that Gabriela Gonzalez wanted the murder and that her father would finance it.
Witnesses also testified to authorities that Gabbie repeatedly expressed her desire for Jack's death and discussed arranging a hitman to kill him.
They even allegedly discussed ways to make Avery's death look like a car accident.
In one conversation between family members, Francisco Gonzalez allegedly wrote, "Call Barca... never too early," which police believe refers to Dustin Barca.
Background of the Conflict and Motive
The primary motive behind this alleged murder plot was a bitter custody dispute over Gabbie and Jack's daughter, Lavender, who was born in 2019.
Although they had separated, the two still shared custody.
Reports indicate that since 2021, Francisco Gonzalez had been attempting to gather damaging information about Jack Avery, such as photos and videos of him smoking and drinking, to use in the custody dispute.
Witnesses also told investigators that Francisco allegedly commented that it would be "cheaper if Jack were died."
Following Gabbie and her father's arrest, Jack Avery immediately filed a temporary restraining order against Gabbie Gonzalez.
He also requested sole custody of their daughter, Lavender, in response to the alleged serious threat to her safety.
Official Statement and Legal Implications
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued an official statement regarding the case, highlighting the nature of the alleged crimes.
“This is a case where the defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder,” Hochman said.
He added that most fathers raise their children to respect the law, but here was a father who allegedly helped his daughter and her boyfriend break the law in the most heinous way.
The subsequent legal proceedings will determine the fate of Gabbie Gonzalez, Francisco Gonzalez, and Kai Cordrey.