Social media star Gabriela Gonzalez faces attempted murder charge, arraignment postponed

Social media influencer Gabriela Gonzalez appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom this morning to face charges related to a murder-for-hire scheme, where a judge allowed her arraignment to be postponed until September.

Also in court were her father, Francisco Gonzalez, 59, and her former boyfriend, Kai Faron Cordrey, 26: all are accused of plotting to kill the father of Gonzalez's daughter during a 2020 custody dispute.

The trio faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. All the defendants remain free on bond.

Prosecutors objected to the postponement of the arraignment because Gonzalez first appeared in court in late May, and the other defendants shortly thereafter.

Gonzalez's attorney, Elliot Zarabi, argued that he has been on the case for only six weeks and needs more time to review the discovery. "I just received a large hard drive of discovery about three weeks ago on this case. So I do need to review everything before I can enter a plea on this case," Zarabi said.

The judge granted a September 14 arraignment date.

Witness testimony states that Gonzalez, 24, repeatedly said she wanted Avery dead and discussed hiring a hitman, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say Gonzalez allegedly asked Cordrey to go on the dark web to find a hitman to kill Avery, a former member of the boy band Why Don't We, between 2020 and 2021. 

Investigators allege that her father, Francisco Gonzalez, paid Cordrey $10,000 and another $4,000 to hire a hitman, who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. 

Prosecutors said Cordrey spoke with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman about the murder-for-hire plot in September 2021. He allegedly discussed payment, proof of death, and identified Avery as the target, according to the LA District Attorney's office. 

Cordrey allegedly later told the undercover officer that Gabriela Gonzalez wanted the murder to happen and that her father would pay for it, according to the DA's office. 

If convicted as charged, each defendant faces sentences of 25 years to life in state prison.