
Newly released documents shed new light on the final moments of Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, the 35-year-old congressional staffer who died last September after setting herself on fire at her home in Uvalde, Texas. Santos-Aviles had previously been caught up in a scandal involving an affair with her boss, Republican Representative Tony Gonzales.
According to the documents released by Uvalde officials and reviewed by the San Antonio Express-News, Santos-Aviles was conscious when emergency crews arrived at her backyard shortly after 9:30 p.m. on September 13, 2025. She spoke directly with officers on the scene, telling them she had intentionally set herself on fire and that it "hurts so bad," while crying out, "Oh my God, I don't want to die."