Former Boyfriend Testifies Influencer Feared Prison Time Following FBI Raid in Alleged Murder Plot Against Singer Jack Avery
In a Los Angeles civil court proceeding, a former partner of social media influencer Gabriela Gonzalez testified that she panicked and contemplated fleeing the country following a federal raid. Gonzalez, along with two co-defendants, faces serious criminal charges over an alleged dark web plot targeting pop singer Jack Avery.
A civil courtroom in downtown Los Angeles became the setting for dramatic testimony this week as pop performer Jack Avery came face-to-face with his former partner, social media influencer Gabriela Gonzalez, in their ongoing custody and protective order dispute. According to courtroom reporting by Rolling Stone, a key witness revealed that Gonzalez experienced intense panic following a federal raid on her residence, openly expressing concerns about facing severe criminal liability.
Cody Clayburn, an ex-boyfriend who lived with Gonzalez in Hawaii, testified remotely via video regarding the fallout from a November 2022 search conducted by federal law enforcement. According to reporting from Rolling Stone, Clayburn told the court that after FBI agents seized digital electronics from the home, Gonzalez stated that her former partner, Kai Cordrey, had sought to carry out a plan to eliminate Avery using a cryptocurrency payment. Clayburn further testified that Gonzalez worried that authorities accessing her cellular device would lead directly to her imprisonment, prompting discussions about potentially leaving the United States for South America.
Gonzalez, 25, sat silently at a counsel table only feet away from Avery, 27, who previously performed with the music group Why Don't We. As reported by Rolling Stone, Gonzalez invoked her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and opted not to take the stand during the civil proceeding. The hearing focuses on whether Avery can extend an existing domestic violence restraining order and what visitation rights Gonzalez may maintain with their seven-year-old daughter.
Criminal authorities previously arrested Gonzalez, her father Francisco Gonzalez, and Cordrey in May, filing charges against each of them that include conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and solicitation to commit murder. All three individuals have entered pleas of not guilty to the felony allegations, which carry potential sentences ranging from 25 years to life in state correctional custody upon conviction, according to prosecutors.
Additional testimony heard in court touched upon family dynamics and interactions surrounding the young child. According to Rolling Stone, Clayburn and his mother, Paige Clayburn, each testified about observing strained interactions during Avery's video communications with his daughter, claiming Gonzalez attempted to suppress volume levels and disrupt calls. Paige Clayburn also detailed a contentious in-person custody transfer where Gonzalez allegedly tried to physically pull the child away from Avery.
Legal counsel representing Gonzalez and her co-defendants have vigorously contested the accusations. Rolling Stone reported that Gonzalez's defense attorney, Elliot Zarabi, argued in filings that his client had a minimal role compared to Cordrey and maintained that Avery was leveraging the situation publicly while keeping a mother away from her daughter. Similarly, an attorney representing Francisco Gonzalez described the prosecution's narrative as exaggerated and disputed the state's characterization of the facts, maintaining confidence that a trial jury will reject the claims as the criminal cases advance.