Authorities have determined the official cause of death for 35-year-old congressional staffer Regina Santos-Aviles.
Santos-Aviles, who worked as the regional district director for Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), caught on fire on Saturday, Sept. 13, in Uvalde, Texas, and died the following morning.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed she died by self-immolation — indicating she intentionally set herself on fire.
Police, emergency responders and firefighters were dispatched to her home around 9:30 p.m., where she was discovered engulfed in flames, according to statements and an incident report later obtained by the San Antonio Express-News. Preliminary findings indicated the blaze originated behind her residence, and first responders provided immediate medical care before Santos-Aviles was transported to a San Antonio hospital.
She was pronounced dead on the morning of Sept. 14, according to KSAT and Texas Public Radio. Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado previously said there was no indication of foul play.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Regina-Santos-Aviles-091825-13f6259c326c444e8d4a63dbc693b164.jpg)
Her family, however, has insisted that the tragic incident was accidental. Her mother, Nora Ann Gonzalez, told the San Antonio Express-News and KSAT that she found her daughter conscious when paramedics arrived.
“The last thing she said is, ‘I don’t want to die,’” her mother shared. “And they told her, ‘We will do our best to make sure we get you taken care of.’”
In late October, attorneys for the City of Uvalde sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asking that investigative materials — including 911 recordings, body-camera footage and police reports — not be publicly released, Texas Public Radio reported. The city argued the case was non-criminal and that sharing the sensitive records could violate the family’s privacy.
Rep. Gonzales issued a statement to Texas Public Radio honoring Santos-Aviles’ years of public service. He said she was dedicated to improving her community and would be remembered for her passion for Uvalde.
Santos-Aviles is survived by her 8-year-old son, described in her obituary as her “greatest pride and joy.”
