Social Media Influencer Charged with Murder Plot

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against social media influencer Gabriela Gonzalez, her father Francisco Gonzalez, and her former boyfriend Faron Cordrey. They are accused of plotting to kill Jack Avery, a former boy band singer and father to Gabriela’s 7-year-old daughter, amid a custody battle in 2020.

Gabriela Gonzalez, 24, her father Francisco, 59, and her former boyfriend Faron, 26, face charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. The case was initially investigated by the FBI before being handed over to Los Angeles County prosecutors.

This is a case where the defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder, stated District Attorney Nathan Hochman.

According to court documents, witnesses revealed that Gabriela Gonzalez repeatedly expressed her desire for Avery’s death and discussed hiring a hitman. Prosecutors claimed that the planned murder was to be disguised as a shooting or accident.

Gabriela allegedly asked Cordrey to search the dark web for a hitman between 2020 and 2021 to kill Avery, a former member of the band Why Don’t We. Investigators reported that Gabriela’s father initially provided Cordrey with $10,000 to hire the supposed hitman, who was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent.

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, Hochman remarked.

Two months later, when the supposed hitman demanded more money, Gabriela’s father allegedly sent an additional $4,000. The DA’s office noted that Cordrey conversed with an undercover officer posing as a hitman about the plot in September 2021. Discussions allegedly included payment, proof of death, and Avery as the target.

Cordrey is reported to have later informed the undercover officer that Gabriela wanted the murder executed and that her father would fund it.

Jack Avery recounted on a podcast how the FBI arrived at his home with a warning. Someone hired someone to kill me, Avery shared.

If convicted, each defendant could face 25 years to life in state prison.

Jonathan Vigliotti also contributed to this report.