Lawyer Dad Faces Bar Investigation After Murder-for-Hire Arrest

When a custody dispute gets ugly, it usually means expensive lawyers and court battles. But according to prosecutors, injury attorney Francisco Gonzalez took a far darker approach—and now the Florida Bar Association is taking notice.

On Tuesday, Francisco Gonzalez and his daughter, influencer Gabbie Gonzalez, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. The alleged target: Jack Avery, an ex and the father of Gabbie’s 7-year-old daughter. Court documents paint a chilling picture. According to investigators, Francisco suggested to Gabbie that killing Jack would be cheaper than fighting a custody battle over their daughter. He allegedly sent $10,000 to Gabbie’s friend Kai Cordrey to pay for a hit man. Even more disturbing, authorities say Gabbie and Kai discussed making the murder look like a car accident.

Now the Florida Bar Association has opened a discipline file on Francisco Gonzalez. This formal review could eventually lead to anything from a formal reprimand to disbarment—though it’s also possible the board could find that no punishment is warranted. Either way, the filing signals that the bar takes the charges seriously enough to investigate whether Gonzalez’s conduct violated professional ethics standards.

For Gabbie, the fallout is immediate and severe. Her bail is set at $2 million, and she’s been ordered to stay away from the daughter she shares with Jack. Jack has also filed a restraining order against her. What started as a custody arrangement has spiraled into a criminal investigation that will reshape all their lives.

The discipline file is just one piece of a much larger legal reckoning. Both face serious federal charges, and if convicted, Gabbie and Francisco could face years in prison. For a family already fractured by custody conflicts and an engagement gone wrong, the aftermath of these allegations will likely reverberate for years to come.