The mother of a congressional staffer who died after catching fire has spoken out following a report that alleged her daughter had an affair with Rep. Tony Gonzales before her death.
More than a month after Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, passed away, her mother, Nora, rejected a Daily Mail report claiming that Santos-Aviles — who served as a regional director in Gonzales’ office — had an affair with her married boss, 45, and had separated from her husband.
Calling the claims “completely false,” Nora told the New York Post, “I don’t think it has any merit.”
Gonzales has not commented publicly on the report. However, in a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson described it as “truly sickening” to “see political bottom feeders distort the circumstances around her passing.”
“Tony Gonzales remains laser-focused on delivering historic achievements for Texas and condemns any attempts to misuse this tragedy,” the spokesperson said.
In a statement issued shortly after her death, Gonzales said Santos-Aviles “will always be remembered for her passion towards Uvalde and helping the community become a better place,” according to Texas Public Radio.
“We are all heart-stricken by the recent news,” he added. “Regina devoted her profession toward making a difference in her community.”
Santos-Aviles began working in Gonzales’ office in November 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Emergency medical services, along with police and fire departments, were called to Santos-Aviles’ home in Uvalde on Sept. 13 shortly after 9:30 p.m. local time, the Uvalde Police Department confirmed in previous statements and reports. She was pronounced dead the following morning.
Her mother told the San Antonio Express-News that she went to her daughter’s home that night after speaking with her on the phone, noting that Regina seemed upset but occupied with household chores.
When Nora arrived, she found her daughter outside with severe burns but still conscious as first responders arrived. “The last thing she said is, ‘I don’t want to die,’ ” Nora recalled. “And they told her, ‘We will do our best to make sure we get you taken care of.’ ”
According to a separate fire department report cited by the New York Post, Santos-Aviles was believed to have doused herself in gasoline. Her mother said she was unsure why her daughter would have done that.
In an update shared last month, Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado stated that Santos-Aviles was alone in her backyard when the fire began, “which ultimately caused significant injuries and required her transport to the emergency room.”
Authorities said at the time that they did not believe anyone else was involved but did not release additional details about how the fire started or her manner of death.
