The alleged murder-for-hire investigation surrounding influencer Gabriela ‘Gabbie’ Gonzalez has now brought two key witnesses into the spotlight. With the 24-year-old and her father’s recent arrest for allegations of hiring a killer to end her ex, singer Jack Avery, two names are now playing a major role in the investigation. One of them is Gabbie’s estranged husband, Cody Clayburn, and the other, her former nanny, McKenzie Ferry.
According to reports and court documents obtained by TMZ, both Gabbie’s estranged husband and her former live-in nanny became crucial witnesses in the years-long investigation that eventually led to multiple arrests. While Gabbie shares her seven-year-old daughter, Lavender, with Avery, her relationship with Cody Clayburn has grabbed attention.
The mention of a ‘husband’ has sparked curiosity among most of Gabbie’s followers, who got to learn about Cody only after the TikToker’s May 2026 arrest. Fanning the fire, Cody appears to be celebrating her arrest as he shared TMZ’s coverage of Gabbie’s arrest news on Instagram with the comment, “Karma.”
Who is Gabbie Gonzalez’s estranged husband, Cody Clayburn?
The court documents obtained by TMZ mention Cody Clayburn as the husband of Gabbie Gonzalez. Cody and Gabbie allegedly announced their engagement in early 2022 and later tied the knot in a private wedding ceremony that same year. However, reports suggest that the marriage may not have been legally formalised. By 2024, the relationship had reportedly fallen apart. Though separated, Cody remains in close contact with Gabbie’s daughter, and she is often featured on his social media posts.
Before becoming linked to Gabbie’s investigation, Cody was mostly known online through his relationship with Gabbie and Jack’s daughter, Laveder, and his laid-back lifestyle in Hawaii. He goes by @codyoctober on Instagram, where he has over 7.8K followers. The pair reportedly connected through their shared love for surfing, fishing, and hunting, and lived together in Kilauea, Hawaii, before reportedly separating. However, reports of their divorce remain unverified.
Now, Cody has become one of the key witnesses in the case. Authorities claim he told investigators that Gabbie and her father were “obsessed” with obtaining full custody of her daughter, Lavender, and alleged that Francisco Gonzalez once remarked it would be “cheaper if they were dead.”
Who is the second key witness, McKenzie Ferry?
Another key witness in the murder-for-hire investigation is McKenzie Ferry, who reportedly worked as Gabbie Gonzalez’s live-in nanny and roommate during the period the alleged Avery plot unfolded. According to sources cited by TMZ, Ferry was actually the first person to alert the authorities about Gabby’s alleged murder-for-hire discussions back in 2021. Her information had reportedly triggered a federal investigation into the matter.
The FBI raided Cody and Gabbie’s house in Hawaii after McKenzie Ferry’s report
Before the current investigation, Cody Clayburn’s name had come up during a federal investigation after FBI agents raided the couple’s Hawaii home in November 2022. Video obtained by TMZ reportedly showed Cody outside the property speaking with agents while they searched the home and seized several electronic devices, including phones, SD cards, thumb drives, and a MacBook.
While Gabby and her baby daddy, Jack Avery, had been in a custody battle for quite some time, the FBI raid was the first time that Cody became aware of the seriousness of the allegations. He claimed Gabbie initially gave him only a “diluted version” of what had happened and that he only came to learn more details over time.
The investigation continued over the years, but it was stalled between 2023 and 2025 due to insufficient evidence available to the federal agents. However, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department later re-interviewed some witnesses, who also reportedly included McKenzie. Finally, the officials arrested Gabbie in Humboldt County, California, in May 2026.
How the murder-for-hire investigation allegedly unfolded
Gabbie Gonzalez was arrested on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Humboldt County, California, on charges related to an alleged contract murder plot for her ex-boyfriend, Jack Avery. Her father, Francisco Javier Gonzalez, was arrested days later on Monday, May 19, 2026, in Lake Mary, Florida, under a California warrant for conspiracy to commit murder.
According to Gonzalez’s arrest warrant and reported court documents, the alleged conspiracy to kill Avery stemmed from a messy custody dispute involving 7-year-old Lavender. Court documents reportedly state that Francisco Gonzalez hired private investigators to monitor Avery and gather potentially damaging evidence that could be used during custody proceedings. Reports also claimed Francisco allegedly threatened Avery during visitation exchanges.
Court documents further stated that amid the escalating conflict between Gabbie and Avery during 2020 and 2021, Gabbie allegedly asked her then-boyfriend, Kai Faron Cordrey, to help find a hitman through the dark web. Investigators alleged Francisco initially paid Kai around USD 10,000 to locate and hire someone, with an additional USD 4,000 reportedly provided later. Kai allegedly became a cooperating witness and later communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a contract killer.
Where is Gabbie Gonzalez now?
Pics: Seminole County Jail, Instagram/Gabbie Gonzalez, Cody Clayburn, and Jack Avery
Gabbie was originally arrested in Northern California, but she was later transferred to Los Angeles County, where she remains behind bars without bail. Her lawyer father, Francisco Gonzales, remains held in Florida, awaiting extradition. Meanwhile, Jack Avery has secured a restraining order against Gabbie and temporary sole custody protections involving their daughter as the criminal proceedings continue. Gabbie is prohibited from any contact with Avery and her daughter and must stay at least 100 yards away from either of them.
Gabbie Gonzalez’s bail was originally set at USD 2 million following her arrest, but she remains behind bars.
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