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Sexually explicit texts between Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales and staffer who died by suicide reveals five-word plea she made
Sexually explicit text messages allegedly exchanged between Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and a former aide who later died by suicide have come to light, including a five-word message she sent pushing back on the nature of their conversation.
In a series of late-night texts dated May 9, 2024, Gonzales allegedly asked his then-staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, to “send [him] a sexy pic."
He then went on to ask her “favorite position” and referenced multiple sexual acts, according to messages obtained by NBC News.
At one point, Santos-Aviles responded with a five-word plea: “This is too far, Tony.” The late employee also wrote to her boss: “Please tell me you didn’t just hire me because I was hot,” to which he reportedly responded: “No way.”
NBC News said it confirmed the messages' authenticity with Bobby Barrera, the lawyer for Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrian Aviles.
Barrera has previously said he was working with his client to release texts to confirm Aviles’ accusation that his late wife had been in a romantic relationship with Gonzales.
The messages published only include exchanges from part of one day and do not address whether there was a physical relationship between the two.
Alleged Affair Resurfaces After Tragic Death
Santos-Aviles was found critically burned in her Uvalde backyard on September 13, 2025, after she reportedly set herself on fire.
The 35-year-old succumbed to her injuries the following day. Her death was ruled a suicide by the Bexar County Medical Examiner.
Her husband, Adrian Aviles, has now spoken publicly about the alleged affair and its impact on his wife’s mental health.
"Tony abused his power," he said, per the San Antonio Express-News. "He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader."
Aviles told the outlet that he first discovered the relationship on May 31, 2024, when he returned home from a jiu-jitsu class and saw his wife texting Gonzales. When he confronted her, she warned him that he "wasn’t going to like what you see".
He described the messages as “very sexual in nature” and said they suggested the relationship had been ongoing for at least two weeks. The couple later separated.
"I couldn’t bear to sit by and listen to Gonzales lie about my wife," Aviles said, accusing the congressman of "ruining somebody’s life."
On the night of her death, Santos-Aviles reached out to her husband. “She reached out to me, told me she loved me, and that, you know, she wanted to work things out,” Aviles said. “She wanted her family back.”
He later reflected: “I don’t think that it was an intentional act. I think it was a cry for help. It was a cry for help that turned into a tragedy... I don’t believe that she knew what she was doing. I don’t believe that she knew the true ramifications.”
Gonzales Denies Affair As Ethics Probe Concludes
The Office of Congressional Conduct has concluded an investigation into the alleged affair, citing two sources familiar with the probe.
However, House rules prevent the office from sending its report to the House Ethics Committee so close to Texas’ March 3 primaries, in which Gonzales faces a serious challenge.
The Texas rep, who has denied the affair, has framed the allegations as politically motivated attacks tied to the primary race, particularly from his challenger, Brandon Herrera.
“It’s shameful that Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started,” he said.
“I am not going to engage in these personal smears and instead will remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans," he added.
Per CBS News, Gonzales acknowledged that Santos-Aviles was a "kind soul" who made important contributions to her community but did not comment further.
“Her efforts led to improvements in school safety, healthcare, and rural water like never before," he said. “It’s shameful that [primary rival] Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started."
Gonzales has also accused Barrera and Aviles of blackmail, publishing an email referencing a $300,000 nondisclosure agreement.
Over the weekend, he posted on X that he has never faced a “single formal complaint” in his political career and criticized what he described as “coordinated political attacks” surfacing before the election.
The scandal has prompted calls for Gonzales to step down. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he “endorsed Tony before all those allegations came out,” describing them as “very serious.”
“I’ve spoken with him and told him he’s got to address that in the appropriate way with his constituents, and all of that,” Johnson added. “It’s too early for anybody to prejudge any of that, but we’ll see how it develops."
Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina both posted on social media that Gonzales should “resign”, while Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas urged him to “drop out of the race.”
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida wrote in her platform that all of her colleagues “should be condemning a sitting Member of Congress asking for explicit photos of their staff,” calling the text messages “disgusting”.
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