Jack Avery, the former Why Don’t We singer, is at the center of a Los Angeles criminal case after prosecutors charged influencer Gabbie Gonzalez, her father and another man in an alleged murder-for-hire plot tied to a yearslong custody dispute. The case has drawn intense attention because Avery and Gonzalez share a young daughter, and because investigators allege the plan involved dark-web searches, cryptocurrency payments and an undercover federal agent posing as a hitman.
Gabbie Gonzalez Charged In Alleged Plot Targeting Jack Avery
Gabriela “Gabbie” Gonzalez, 24, has been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder. Her father, Francisco Gonzalez, 59, and Kai Faron Cordrey, 26, are also charged in the case.
The alleged target was Jack Avery, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter best known as a former member of the pop group Why Don’t We. Prosecutors say the alleged scheme grew out of a bitter custody conflict involving Avery and Gonzalez’s 7-year-old daughter.
Gonzalez was arrested in California and transferred to Los Angeles County, where the criminal case is moving forward. Court proceedings are still in their early stages, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.
What Investigators Say Happened
Court filings describe an alleged plan that stretched across several years and involved discussions about hiring someone to kill Avery. Investigators say the alleged plot included dark-web activity, encrypted communications, coded language and payments intended to disguise the purpose of the money.
One central allegation is that Cordrey communicated with an undercover federal agent who was posing as a contract killer. During those exchanges, the killing was allegedly discussed in connection with payment and proof of death. Investigators also allege the plan included making Avery’s death look like an accident, including a staged car crash.
Francisco Gonzalez is accused of helping fund the alleged plot. Financial records cited in the case describe a $10,000 payment to Cordrey that was characterized as payment for web development work. Investigators say no legitimate web services were provided.
The criminal complaint also describes efforts to surveil or gather information on Avery. Those allegations, if proven, would place the case beyond online threats or impulsive statements and into a more organized attempted conspiracy.
Custody Battle Forms The Backdrop
The case is rooted in a long-running personal dispute between Gonzalez and Avery over their daughter. Custody conflicts can be emotionally intense, but prosecutors are framing this case as an alleged escalation into a criminal plan to remove Avery from the child’s life permanently.
That context is central to why the case has drawn so much public attention. Avery and Gonzalez were already known to many fans because they had a child together while he was part of a high-profile pop act and she built a large social media following around lifestyle and motherhood content.
Their daughter is not charged with anything and should be treated as a child at the center of a traumatic adult legal dispute. The court has ordered Gonzalez to stay away from both Avery and the child while the case proceeds.
Who Is Jack Avery?
Jack Avery is an American singer and musician who rose to fame as a member of Why Don’t We, a five-member pop group that built a strong young fan base through touring, streaming releases and social media-driven promotion. The group became known for songs such as “8 Letters,” “What Am I” and “Fallin’.”
Avery has also pursued solo music, moving into a new stage of his career after Why Don’t We’s peak years. His public image has long been shaped by music, fandom and family, but the current case has placed him in a very different spotlight.
For many fans searching his name now, the main question is not about a new release or reunion rumor, but whether he was seriously targeted. The criminal filings make clear that law enforcement treated the alleged threat as credible enough to investigate for years.
Who Is Gabbie Gonzalez?
Gabbie Gonzalez is a social media influencer known for lifestyle, motherhood and travel-oriented content. She developed a large following across major platforms and became publicly associated with Avery after their relationship and the birth of their daughter.
Her online persona has now collided with a serious criminal case. The charges do not prove guilt, but they expose her to severe penalties if prosecutors can prove the allegations in court.
The case also involves her father, Francisco Gonzalez, a Florida-based attorney, and Cordrey, who has been described in filings as connected to Gonzalez during the period under investigation. Their alleged roles differ, but all three are accused of participating in the broader plan.
What Happens Next In The Case
The next phase will focus on arraignments, bail status, evidence disputes and whether the defendants enter pleas or challenge the charges. Prosecutors will likely rely on communications, financial records, witness statements and undercover evidence to support the case.
For Avery, the immediate legal issue is protection and the custody-related fallout from the charges. For Gonzalez and the other defendants, the case now turns on whether prosecutors can prove intent, agreement and concrete steps toward carrying out the alleged killing.
The public attention is likely to remain high because the case combines pop celebrity, influencer culture, family conflict and violent-crime allegations. The legal standard, however, remains the same: the allegations must be tested in court, and no defendant has been convicted.
