LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — A social media influencer and her father are behind bars and facing charges after investigators say they tried to hire a hitman to kill a former member of a boy band.
Francisco Gonzalez was arrested in Florida. (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)
Francisco Gonzalez, 59, was arrested in Seminole County, Florida, on a warrant out of California on charges of conspiracy to commit murder. In documents reviewed by Court TV, prosecutors say Francisco Gonzales was “deeply involved” in his daughter’s long-standing custody and visitation battle with her ex.
Gabriela Gonzalez, an influencer on TikTok and other social media sites, is known for photos featuring her day-to-day life and travels with her daughter, TMZ reported. She was arrested and charged in Los Angeles.
Investigators say Gabriela Gonzalez shares her daughter with singer Jack Avery, who rose to fame as a member of the boy band Why Don’t We.
Court documents allege that Francisco Gonzalez hired a private investigator to track Avery, specifically looking for behaviors that could be used against him in the custody dispute. Investigators also say Gonzalez threatened to have Avery arrested and attempted to involve a contact in law enforcement. “These records are significant,” detectives said in an affidavit reviewed by Court TV, “because they show Francisco’s sustained personal involvement in a campaign to gather information against Avery and use outside actors against him.”
Jack Avery of Why Don’t We performs at 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball at Amalie Arena on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Investigators say witnesses revealed the plan during interviews with investigators, with one witness telling officers that he had been paid more than $10,000 by Francisco Gonzalez under the guise of web development payments. He said he had never done any actual work and that the money had been to facilitate finding a hitman. In a recorded call with an undercover agent posing as a contract killer, “Francisco used coded references…and discussed verifying the target and arranging payment/accountability after completion.”
Gonzalez works as an attorney in Central Florida, specializing in civil work involving wrongful death, auto accidents and medical malpractice.
Avery briefly discussed the alleged murder-for-hire plot in an interview with the “Zach Sang Show,” in which he revealed that the “FBI showed up at my door.” He said the visit traumatized him; “I stayed in my house for like a month straight, I didn’t leave. I was so scared, I was looking out of my window every night.”
When asked why someone would want to kill him, Avery responded, “To get the stress out of their life,” before going on to praise Gabriela Gonzalez, calling her a “great mom.” “I won’t lie, she’s an incredible mom,” he said.
Francisco Gonzalez is expected to be extradited from Florida to California to face charges; his first appearance is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
