A prominent social media influencer, Gabbie Gonzalez her father and her former boyfriend have been formally charged in a shocking murder-for-hire plot aimed at a well-known pop singer, KTLA reports. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the charges following a lengthy investigation initiated by the FBI that dates back to 2020.
Authorities allege that between 2020 and 2021, 26-year-old Gabriela Lauren Gonzalez, who built a sizeable online following through lifestyle and travel content, enlisted her then-boyfriend, Kai Faron Cordrey, to secure a dark web hitman. The intended target was Jack Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don’t We. At the time, Avery and Gonzalez were locked in a highly contentious custody dispute over their seven-year-old daughter.
Investigators suspect the sinister plot may have been heavily influenced by Gonzalez’s 60-year-old father, Francisco Gonzalez. According to reports from TMZ, a witness informed police that the father had openly stated it would be cheaper if the singer were dead.
By April 2021, Francisco Gonzalez allegedly wired $10,000 to Cordrey to use as a deposit to locate and hire an assassin. Two months later, Cordrey reportedly requested an additional $4,000, claiming the prospective killer required more funds.
The undercover operation
The conspiracy unravelled in September 2021 when Cordrey unknowingly communicated with an undercover federal agent posing as a contract killer. During these exchanges, Cordrey allegedly identified Avery as the primary target and stressed that the murder needed to be executed within a matter of days. Discussions also covered payment logistics and the requirement for proof of death.
According to L.A. investigators, Cordrey explicitly stated in a subsequent conversation that Gabbie Gonzalez desired the murder to happen whilst her father would cover the financial expenses.
Arrests and legal repercussions
Gabbie Gonzalez was apprehended last week in Humboldt County, California. Her father was also taken into custody in Florida and is currently awaiting extradition to Los Angeles. At present, Cordrey’s exact legal status and whereabouts remain unclear.
All three suspects face one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder. If convicted, they each face potential sentences of 25 years to life in a state prison.
