Texas GOP congressional staffer Regina Santos-Aviles was found severely burned in her Uvalde home on September 13 after dousing herself in gasoline and igniting the flames, according to investigators. The 35-year-old mother of an 8-year-old son succumbed to her injuries days later at Brooke Army Medical Center.
Authorities confirmed Santos-Aviles was alone in her backyard when the fire began, with no evidence of foul play. Her mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, described the incident as a tragic accident, stating her daughter’s final words were “I don’t want to die.” Santos-Aviles had been separated from her husband for months and was sharing parenting responsibilities for their son.
Uvalde Police Chief Homer E. Delgado noted detectives submitted home surveillance footage to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab, with preliminary findings indicating she was unaccompanied during the incident. Santos-Aviles, who worked for Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales since 2021, had previously served at the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce.
The coroner has not yet officially classified her death as a suicide, but investigators ruled out external involvement. Her case remains under review as the community mourns the loss of a young mother and public servant.
