What started as a messy custody dispute has spiraled into one of the most shocking criminal allegations involving social media personalities in recent memory. TikTok influencer Gabbie Gonzalez and her father, Francisco Gonzalez, now face charges related to an alleged conspiracy to kill Jack Avery, the father of Gonzalez’s 7-year-old daughter, Lavender, and a former member of the boy band Why Don’t We.
The case unfolds across years and states. According to law enforcement, Francisco Gonzalez orchestrated a plan dating back to 2021 that began as surveillance—tracking and photographing Jack in Hawaii with the stated goal of capturing footage of him smoking or drinking that could be weaponized in custody proceedings. But authorities allege the scheme escalated dramatically from there. Court documents reveal a cryptic message Francisco allegedly sent: Call Barca…never too early. Investigators believe this refers to a man named Dustin Barca, and they say Gabbie and her friend Kai Cordrey later attempted to recruit Barca to threaten Jack. One witness told police that Francisco had made a chilling statement: it would be cheaper if Jack were dead.
Gabbie was arrested last week in Humboldt County, California, as she boarded a flight, and she’s now being held without bail in Los Angeles County pending her Tuesday arraignment on conspiracy to commit murder charges. Her father was arrested Monday in Florida on the same charge and remains behind bars there, awaiting extradition. The case stands as a stark reminder of how personal disputes can metastasize into something far more sinister when family members become involved and escalation goes unchecked. What began as leverage in a custody battle allegedly transformed into something criminal—with potentially irreversible consequences for everyone involved.
The story is still developing, but the gravity is unmistakable.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
