On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged social media influencer Gabriela Gonzalez, her father Francisco Gonzalez, and her former boyfriend Faron Cordrey with plotting to kill former boy band singer Jack Avery. The incident arose from a 2020 custody dispute concerning Gonzalez’s 7-year-old daughter. All three faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman noted that the investigation was initially conducted by the FBI, who eventually passed the case to L.A. County prosecutors. “The defendants are accused of going to great lengths to find someone to commit murder,” said Hochman.

According to court documents, witnesses reported that Gabriela Gonzalez expressed a desire for Avery’s death and discussed hiring a hitman. Prosecutors disclosed that the alleged plan involved staging Avery’s death to resemble a shooting or accident. Between 2020 and 2021, Gabriela Gonzalez allegedly asked Cordrey to use the dark web to find a hitman to kill Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don’t We.

“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,” stated Hochman.

Investigators claim that Gonzalez’s father provided Cordrey with $10,000 to locate and pay a hitman, who was an undercover FBI agent. Two months later, another $4,000 was allegedly sent when more money was requested. In September 2021, Cordrey reportedly discussed the murder-for-hire plot with an undercover agent, talking about payment, proof of death, and identifying Avery as the intended target. Cordrey allegedly revealed that Gabriela wanted the murder executed and her father would finance it.

Jack Avery recounted a warning from the FBI during a podcast. “Someone hired someone to kill me,” he recalled. If found guilty, the accused each face a potential sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.