Texas AG Paxton’s Office Seals Records in Death of Rep. Tony Gonzales’ Staffer
Records related to the tragic death of Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old regional district director for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), will remain sealed following a ruling from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office on December 19, 2025. The decision has sparked debate over transparency in a case marked by conflicting accounts of suicide versus accident, amid unverified rumors of a personal relationship between Santos-Aviles and her boss.
Santos-Aviles died on September 14, 2025, after sustaining severe burns in her backyard in Uvalde on the evening of September 13. Emergency responders arrived around 9:30 p.m. following reports of a disturbance and a person on fire. She was airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 6:30 a.m. the next day. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a suicide by self-immolation, stating she had doused herself in gasoline before catching fire. Surveillance video reportedly captured the incident, showing firefighters extinguishing a burning gas can, and authorities confirmed she was alone at the time, with no evidence of foul play or third-party involvement.
The Uvalde Police Department, assisted by the Texas Rangers, conducted the investigation and determined no criminal charges were expected. However, a close family member has publicly disputed the suicide ruling, insisting it was an accident. Santos-Aviles’ mother, Nora, reported that her daughter’s last words were “I don’t want to die,” and noted the presence of a water hose outside the home, suggesting an unintended mishap. Rep. Gonzales described Santos-Aviles as “passionate about Uvalde and helping the community,” and her family’s obituary praised her as a devoted mother to her son Axel and a woman of service who made others feel valued.
In the months following the incident, media outlets including KSAT Investigates requested public records from the City of Uvalde and Bexar County, such as 911 calls, police reports, body camera footage, surveillance video, autopsy reports, toxicology results, and investigative notes. The city and county resisted release, appealing to Paxton’s office for a ruling under the Texas Public Information Act.
On December 19, Paxton’s office sided with the local agencies, allowing the records to remain confidential. The decision cited exceptions permitting withholding if disclosure could interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation or when required by other laws, including privacy protections. An attorney for the City of Uvalde had indicated in an October 24 letter that the investigation was expected to close without charges, but as of December 18, the Uvalde Police Department reported no further updates. No timeline for potential release or reconsideration was provided in the ruling.
The case has been further complicated by tabloid reports alleging an affair between the married Gonzales and Santos-Aviles, who had worked for him since 2021. Gonzales addressed these claims in a November 2025 interview at The Texas Tribune Festival, calling them “completely untruthful” and stating he did not know the exact circumstances of her death. Santos-Aviles’ mother also dismissed the rumors as “completely false” and without merit in an interview with The New York Post. No wrongdoing has been attributed to Gonzales by authorities, and law enforcement has not linked the rumors to the investigation.
As of December 23, 2025, there have been no new developments reported in the case, with the sealed records leaving many questions unanswered for the public and Santos-Aviles’ family. Media organizations may pursue legal challenges to the sealing, but for now, details surrounding the fiery death remain shrouded in secrecy.