Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, Tony Gonzales's aide, accused estranged husband of cheating with her best friend before her death by suicide

Newly disclosed police records reveal that Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, an aide of Republican congressman Tony Gonzales who died in September last year after setting herself on fire in her backyard, told first responders that she took her own life after discovering her estranged husband was romantically involved with her best friend.

According to the report cited by the New York Post, Santos-Aviles, 35, made the claim in her final moments, alleging her husband was having an extramarital affair with “her best friend". First responders documented the statement as part of their official narrative.

Santos-Aviles was the director of the regional office of Tony Gonzales, the Republican congressman representing Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. Multiple media reports revealed some explicit text messages between them, adding on to the allegations that Santos-Aviles had an affair with the married congressman in 2024.


The reports surrounding the alleged relationship have since become part of partisan attacks ahead of the closely contested March 3 Republican primary in Texas’ 23rd District, where Gonzales, 45, is seeking a fourth term.

Also Read: Who is Tony Gonzales, and why did his aide set herself on fire?

Now the newly disclosed police report obtained by The new York Post revealed that a dying aide to Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) told first responders her estranged husband was having an extramarital affair with “her best friend", a claim that has since been disputed by him.

According to the report, officers were dispatched at about 9:31pm on Saturday, September 13, 2025, to a residence in Uvalde after an open 911 call involving a woman screaming. When police arrived, they found a woman, later identified as Regina Santos Aviles, lying on the front porch with severe burn injuries.

The reporting officer wrote, "Upon arrival, I observed a female subject lying on the front porch with severe burn injuries covering her body.”

The report states that Aviles told police she had discovered her husband was cheating on her with her best friend, and as a result she “poured gasoline on herself and set herself on fire.” Officers also discovered a gas can burning behind the house, which was later extinguished.

Uvalde EMS treated Aviles at the scene before transporting her to a hospital in San Antonio for further care and was pronounced dead the next morning. Police later obtained a video from a witness that allegedly showed Aviles pouring gasoline on herself.

However, the estranged husband of Santos-Aviles, Adrian Aviles, who shares an eight-year-old son with her and separated in August 2024, rejected the accusations.

Denying the claims, Adrian told The New York Post, “Those allegations are completely false,” adding that the woman described as the “best friend” is also his childhood friend and that there was no sexual relationship between them.