LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A social media influencer, her father and her then-boyfriend were charged Tuesday with plotting to kill the father of her 7-year-old daughter by trying to hire a hit man on the dark web as part of a family custody dispute several years ago, authorities said.
Gabriela Lauren Gonzalez, 24, Francisco Gonzalez, 59, and Kai Faron Cordrey, 26, were charged with one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
"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," District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. "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."
Gabriela Gonzalez, a social media influencer, was embroiled in a custody dispute involving her daughter and the child's father, Jack Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don't We, according to the DA's Office. She is accused of seeking the assistance of her then-boyfriend Cordrey to hire someone on the dark web to kill Avery between 2020 and 2021.
In April 2021, Gonzalez's father, Francisco Gonzalez, allegedly sent $10,000 to Cordrey as front money to use in locating, hiring and paying someone to kill Avery.
Cordrey allegedly requested and received an additional $4,000 from Francisco Gonzalez two months later after the alleged hit man asked for the additional funds. Several days later, Cordrey allegedly requested that Avery be killed within a couple of days.
In September 2021, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hit man spoke with Cordrey about the murder-for-hire plot, prosecutors said. Cordrey is accused of telling the undercover officer that Avery was the target and allegedly discussed payment and proof of death.
In a subsequent conversation, Cordrey allegedly told the purported hit man that Gabriela Gonzalez wanted the murder to happen and Francisco Gonzalez could pay for the expense.
Francisco Gonzalez was arrested in Florida and is awaiting extradition, authorities said.
If convicted as charged, all three defendants could face 25 years to life in state prison.
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