Tony Gonzales Faces Fresh Scrutiny After Texts Show Request for ‘Sexy Pic’ from Uvalde Aide Who Later Died
Newly released material has thrust Rep. Tony Gonzales back into controversy: text messages that an estranged husband shared with a news organization show the congressman asked a staff member for a "sexy pic, " and a police report linked to the aide's later death contains further disturbing details. The development matters because it intertwines allegations of a personal relationship, a tragic death, and mounting political pressure in a competitive primary.
Tony Gonzales and the text messages
Just after midnight on May 9, 2024, U. S. Rep. Tony Gonzales exchanged texts with his district director in Uvalde, Regina Santos-Aviles, in which he begged her to send a "sexy pic. " When Santos-Aviles pushed back, saying the conversation had gone too far, the married San Antonio Republican persisted and told her he was "just such a visual person. " Her husband, Adrian Aviles, later shared those text messages with a news organization as evidence of an affair between the congressman and his staffer.
What the police report says
Gonzales has called for the full police report related to Santos-Aviles' death to be released. Uvalde officials provided the report to a news organization on Monday. The report states Santos-Aviles told responding officers that she set herself on fire because her husband was romantically involved with her best friend. A friend told the detective investigating her death that the couple had been estranged for several months after "Regina's supposed affair" strained the relationship.
The aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, and her death
Regina Santos-Aviles, who served as Gonzales' district director in Uvalde, died in September 2025 after lighting herself on fire. She died the next day at a hospital in San Antonio. She and Adrian Aviles shared an 8-year-old son. Adrian Aviles has said the relationship and the professional ostracization his wife faced after it was discovered led her to become despondent before her death; he shared the text messages with a news organization on Monday and spoke to a local newspaper that first published the texts.
Gonzales' responses and denials
Gonzales did not respond to a request for comment. In November, he said that rumors of an affair between him and Santos-Aviles were "completely untruthful. " But as more evidence has emerged over the last week, he has sidestepped direct denials, instead accusing Adrian Aviles of trying to blackmail him and blaming his primary opponent for politicizing the issue. He has reiterated calls for the complete police report to be released.
Political fallout: primary challenge and public accusations
Gonzales represents the 23rd Congressional District, the state's largest, which stretches across the southwestern border and into San Antonio. He is married with six children and is facing a tough reelection bid. His opponent in next week's primary, Brandon Herrera, a gun rights activist and YouTuber, is taking another run at the seat after almost unseating Gonzales in 2024.
In ads and on social media, Herrera has accused Gonzales of having a "taxpayer funded affair with a married staffer, which led to her death by self-immolation, " language Herrera used in one post. Herrera has also said Gonzales should step down and has rebuffed the congressman.
What remains unclear and next steps
Key points remain unclear in the provided context: the full extent of any relationship between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles beyond the shared messages; whether additional evidence exists beyond the texts and the police report; and how investigators and political authorities will proceed. The materials now in circulation have already prompted public accusations and calls for transparency. Further developments may depend on the release of additional records and statements from the parties involved.
Reporting: Eleanor Klibanoff; February 23, 2026.
