A troubling new report has surfaced involving Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and allegations of an affair with a former aide who later died in a tragic act of self-immolation.
According to Express News, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after covering herself in gasoline outside her home and setting herself on fire. Authorities have stated there was no evidence of foul play in her death.
A former Gonzales staffer told the outlet that Santos-Aviles’ struggles with depression intensified after her husband discovered text messages in which she admitted to having an affair with the congressman, who represents Texas’s 23rd congressional district. The staffer alleged that the relationship became known to some members of Gonzales’ office in 2024.
Santos-Aviles’ husband’s attorney, Bobby Barrera, told Express News that the alleged affair “was not a secret among the staff.” He described it as “common knowledge,” adding that “the staff was clearly aware this event was occurring.”
Text messages obtained and verified by Express News reportedly show that Gonzales told a former staffer in April 2024 that she was having an “affair with our boss.” The former staffer, who resigned from Gonzales’ office in January, claimed that Santos-Aviles called him in tears after her husband, Adrian Aviles, uncovered the relationship through text messages. According to the report, her husband later sent messages to a group of Gonzales’ staffers exposing the alleged affair.
The former staffer further claimed that following the exposure of the relationship, Gonzales canceled meetings that had been set up by Santos-Aviles, and she no longer accompanied the congressman on visits to Uvalde. He described her as becoming increasingly distressed in the months that followed.
“She talked about Tony every day,” the former staffer said. “She went from the number one employee in the office to nothing.”
According to the same former aide, Santos-Aviles told him she began taking antidepressants in the summer of 2025 and started missing work more frequently. He also claimed he raised concerns about her well-being with Gonzales’ district director in June, saying he was worried about her mental state.
Additionally, the former staffer alleged that Santos-Aviles attempted suicide approximately one month before her death, though Express News reported it did not independently confirm that claim.
Gonzales’ office did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment regarding the latest allegations. However, in a November interview last year, the congressman denied rumors surrounding the circumstances of Santos-Aviles’ death, stating that they were “completely untruthful.” He described her passing as a “very tragic situation.”
The report has drawn renewed scrutiny to the events leading up to Santos-Aviles’ death, particularly the alleged relationship and its impact on her personal and professional life. At this time, authorities maintain that there was no evidence of foul play involved in the September 2025 incident.
As questions linger, the tragedy has left a family grieving and a congressional office facing serious allegations that remain the subject of public attention.
