Influencer and Family Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot

A social media influencer from California, along with her father and ex-boyfriend, has been charged with attempting to hire a hitman via the dark web to kill the father of her child. The prosecutors allege that a long-standing custody dispute escalated into this extreme act.

Los Angeles County authorities revealed this week that Gabriela Lauren Gonzalez, her father Francisco Gonzalez, and her ex-girlfriend Kai Fallon Corddry have been implicated in a plot aimed at Jack Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don’t We and the father of Gonzalez’s 7-year-old daughter.

The charges stem from a custody battle concerning their daughter, Lavender, which reportedly intensified between 2020 and 2022. In court, Gonzalez and her father purportedly labeled Avery as “unfit” and “dangerous.”

They allegedly used these accusations to justify their efforts to remove Avery from their daughter’s life, according to the criminal complaint.

It’s claimed that Francisco recruited Corddry to assist in finding a killer online. Allegedly, he even financed the operation, raising some eyebrows about the lengths to which family loyalty can stretch.

From October 2020 to May 2021, Gonzalez purportedly discussed wanting Avery dead and considered hiring someone to carry it out.

Furthermore, prosecutors allege that Gonzalez and Corddry sought out a hitman through dark web channels, suggesting they wanted the murder to “look like an accident.”

Authority claims show that in April 2021, Francisco sent about $10,000 to Corddry under a pretense of “web development payments” meant to facilitate their plans. Corddry allegedly then requested an additional $4,000 to further the scheme.

According to the court filings, thousands of dollars were transferred to a cryptocurrency account as part of the plot.

At one point, Corddry communicated with an undercover FBI agent, discussing the plot and even the logistics involved, which is quite unsettling if you think about it.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the investigation seemed to linger for years before culminating in arrests. This has left many questioning the timeline of events.

It was also revealed that a witness heard Francisco saying it “would be cheaper if Jack died.” González, who has a prominent online presence, was arrested recently as she was about to board a flight in California.

She is currently held without bail, while her father was also detained under a warrant related to the murder-for-hire allegations. Francisco’s attorney stated that he plans to waive extradition back to California to face charges.

All three individuals are facing serious charges, including attempted murder and conspiracy. Bail has been suggested at $2 million for each accused.

The situation has left Jack Avery deeply unsettled; he has since filed for a restraining order against Gonzalez and is seeking full custody of their daughter. Avery expressed his fear for his safety, stating he stayed home for a month due to the threats.

The whole saga raises a lot of questions, particularly about the motivations behind such drastic actions and the implications for their daughter.

It’s unclear why it took so long for authorities to act on the plot. Whether any defendants have secured legal representation at this stage remains uncertain.