Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Influencer Hires Hit Man Amid Heated Custody Battle with Ex | Crime Alert 05.21.26

Episode Date: May 21, 2026

Popular influencer Gabriela "Gabbie" Gonzalez, her father, and her new boyfriend implicated in murder for hire plot. Colorado toddler beaten to death on "punishment" stay with godfather. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime Alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. A shocking murder-for-hire plot involving a popular social media influencer, her family, and a dark web conspiracy has come to light, targeting a well-known pop singer. Authorities have arrested TikTok influencer Gabriela, Gabby, Lauren Gonzalez, 25,

along with her father, Francisco Gonzalez, and her boyfriend, Kai Cordray, for allegedly conspiring to hire a hitman to assassinate Gonzalez's ex-boyfriend, Jack Avery. Avery is a former member of the popular boy band, Why Don't We? And shares a seven-year-old daughter with Gonzalez. According to police reports, the underlying motive stems from a bitter, long-standing custody and visitation battle over their young child. The arrest warrant reveals that Gonzales's father, Francisco Gonzalez, became deeply embedded in the ongoing custody dispute. Prosecutors allege that between 2020 and 2021,

the hostility reached a boiling point. Francisco reportedly hired a private investigator to track Avery's movements, looking specifically for evidence of smoking, drinking, or any behavioral issues that could be leveraged against the singer in court. The father also allegedly threatened to have Avery arrested if he showed up for scheduled visitations and even attempted to manipulate a law enforcement contact to intervene. But the situation took a sinister turn when Gonzalez allegedly turned to her then-boyfriend, Kai Cordray, to procure a professional killer. A news release from officials states that Gonzalez wanted Avery dead and asked Cordray to find a hitman using the dark web. To finance the execution, Francisco Gonzalez reportedly paid Cordray $10,000 under the fraudulent guise of web development fees.

Cordray later demanded an additional $4,000 from Francisco. to advance the plot. Unbeknownst to the co-conspirators, their digital trail led them straight to law enforcement. In September of 2021, Cordray began communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent who was posing as an operational hitman. Investigators state that Cordray openly detailed the murder plot, identified Jack Avery as the target, discussed payment arrangements, and negotiated proof of death. In subsequent recordings, Cordray explicitly told the undercover agent that Gabrielle Gonzalez ordered the hit and that her father would cover the expenses. The legal fallout from this disrupted plot is moving rapidly. TMZ reports that following the news of Gonzalez's arrest,

Avery immediately filed an emergency restraining order against his ex-girlfriend and has petitioned the court for sole custody of their daughter. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County warrant issued on May 12th led to the arrest of Francisco Gonzalez in Seminole County, Florida. During his initial court appearance, his defense team indicated that Gonzalez plans to waive extradition to California to face these severe charges. If convicted, Gonzalez, her father, and her boyfriend faced 25 years to life in state prison. More crime and justice news after this. A horrifying case of fatal child abuse has shaken the community of Aurora, Colorado, where a young boy's life was tragically cut short. The Aurora Police Department confirmed the arrest of 24-year-old Alexander Martinez-Armstrong, who is now facing first-degree murder charges.

The investigation began late Saturday night around 10 p.m. when emergency personnel responded to an urgent call at an apartment complex along East Tennessee Avenue. First responders arrived to find a four-year-old boy unresponsive and not breathing. Paramedics with Aurora Fire Rescue desperately attempted life-saving measures on the toddler, who was in cardiac arrest. According to an arrest affidavit, the child suffered from extensive horrific injuries. Paramedics noted that the boy's entire body from head to toe was covered in severe bruising at various stages of healing. He was rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries that same evening. Investigators revealed that Martinez-Armstrong is not the biological father of the boy, but serves as his godfather. When paramedics first entered the apartment,

they observed Martinez-Armstrong standing directly over the unresponsive child. An examination of the victim's body revealed distinct elongated bruising marks, which investigators noted were highly consistent with being whipped by objects like belts or cords. When questioned by Aurora detectives, Martinez Armstrong provided a deeply disturbing account of the days leading up to the boy's death. He stated that he had picked up his godson from the biological mother four days prior so the boy could complete schoolwork. The suspect claimed the child was placed on punishment for being disruptive,

bad and failing to listen to his family. Martinez-Armstrong asserted that the biological mother gave him explicit permission to discipline the boy using physical methods, which he claimed he had previously witnessed her perform. The affidavit details that this alleged discipline involved open-palm spankings, forced push-ups, planks, wall-sits, and severe belt whippings. Martinez-Armstrong admitted to investigators that on Saturday alone, he struck the four-year-old with a belt 21 times. He claimed he aimed for the boy's buttocks, but because the child was moving to escape the blows,

the belt struck other areas of his body. The suspect insisted he did not swing with full intensity and claimed that additional bruising on the child's face occurred when the boy collapsed while being forced to do push-ups. He told police that when the boy complained of exhaustion, he put him on a couch with a blanket, discovering he was completely unresponsive hours later. However, the child's biological mother strongly contradicted the suspect's claims. She told police that while she disciplined her son, she never inflicted injuries or left marks and stated she had absolutely no knowledge that Martina's Armstrong would physically abuse the boy. The Arapaho County Coroner's Office is currently conducting an autopsy to determine the

official cause and manner of death. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney Silvani. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.