Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) “abused his power” when he allegedly had an affair with staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who later fatally set herself on fire, the woman’s husband said Wednesday in his first public remarks about the tragedy.
Adrian Aviles argued that the married congressman should be held accountable for becoming romantically involved with his wife, a subordinate of Gonzales who was reportedly iced out by the Texas Republican after the alleged affair was exposed.
“I said the truth would come to light when it’s time, and the time is now,” Aviles said in an interview with the San Antonio Express-News. “Tony abused his power. He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader.
Adrian, with wife Regina Santos-Aviles, said that Rep. Tony Gonzales “abused his power. He should have held himself to a higher standard as a congressional leader.”
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Gonzales told The Post Wednesday that he was “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.”
Congressman Tony Gonzalez
“I hope that Tony will stand up and be accountable for his actions,” he added.
Aviles, 40, explained that he discovered the alleged affair on the night of May 31, 2024, when he returned home from a jiu-jitsu class and noticed Santos-Aviles texting Gonzales.
“I kind of looked over her shoulder, and I saw that she was texting Tony,” Aviles recalled.
When he questioned her about the messages, his wife told him, “You’re not going to like what you see.”
After taking the phone away from his wife and leaving the house, Aviles said he found texts from Gonzales to Santos-Aviles that were “very sexual in nature.”
It appeared that Gonzales had been having an affair with Santos-Aviles for at least two weeks, the husband said. The affair led to the couple’s separation a few months later.
On Sept. 13, 2025, Santos-Aviles covered herself in gasoline before lighting herself ablaze in the backyard of her Uvalde, Texas, home. The 35-year-old mother of one died of her injuries the following day.
Gonzales and Santos-Aviles pictured with Elon Musk during his Sept. 28, 2023, visit to a migrant processing site in Eagle Pass, Texas.
James Keivom
Aviles said he’s speaking out now because he “couldn’t bear to sit by” and listen to Gonzales “lie on my wife’s name.”
He accused Gonzales of “denying the fact that he’s ruined somebody’s life.”
“He talks with two tongues. The Bible says to stay away from people who talk with two tongues,” Aviles said of the congressman.
Gonzales has previously cast the affair allegations as “people throwing rocks at me, saying I’m doing nasty things.”
“[T]he rumors are completely untruthful,” he told local station KSAT in November.
Santos-Aviles covered herself in gasoline before lighting herself ablaze in the backyard of her Uvalde, Texas, home on Sept. 13, 2025. The 35-year-old mother of one died of her injuries the following day.
Regina Santos Aviles / Facebook
Gonzales did not deny that he had an affair with Santos-Aviles in a statement provided to The Post on Wednesday, before the San Antonio Express-News published its interview with Aviles.
The congressman said he was “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.”
“Ms. Santos-Aviles was a kind soul who devoted her life to making the community a better place,” he said. “Her efforts led to improvements in school safety, healthcare, and rural water like never before.”
“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,” the lawmaker added.
Adrian and Regina Santos-Aviles in an undated photo.
Adrian Aviles / Facebook
Gonzales’ statement was in response to a text message Santos-Aviles sent a colleague on April 28, 2025, in which she appeared to acknowledge the tryst.
“I had [an] affair with our boss and I’m fine,” Santos-Aviles wrote, according to a screenshot of the exchange obtained by The Post.
The colleague, a former Gonzales aide, also told the Express-News that Santos-Aviles “went from the number one employee in the office to nothing” after Aviles exposed the alleged affair in a group text to the congressman’s staff.
Gonzales reportedly canceled meetings arranged by Santos-Aviles, who worked as his regional director, and she no longer accompanied him on trips.
Santos-Aviles’ former colleague said concerns about the woman’s mental well-being were raised at the time.
Aviles told the local outlet that he urged his wife to quit working for Gonzales after discovering the damning texts.
“I had [an] affair with our boss and I’m fine,” Santos-Aviles wrote to a colleague, according to a screenshot of the exchange obtained by The Post. Obtained by NY Post
“My biggest thing is, I wanted her to leave the job,” he said, noting that his wife was reluctant because she felt responsible for the communities she served.
Aviles revealed Gonzales was among the people texted when he discovered the alleged affair.
“When that happened, they black-sheeped her,” he said. “They severed communications with her. They gave her a month off. They’re essentially trying to push her out … and make her quit.”
Santos-Aviles, who had no history of mental health issues, “started spiraling” in the months after Aviles discovered the affair, becoming “noticeably depressed” and “lost,” he said.
She threatened to kill herself one month before her death, according to her husband.
Tony Gonzales with his wife Angel. Facebook / Congressman Tony Gonzales
“She cried wolf,” Aviles said, noting that police were called but found “nothing of concern.”
On the night Santos-Aviles self-immolated, she texted her husband, apparently seeking to reconcile.
“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.”
She also sent a video she recorded to one of Aviles’ friends. Aviles declined to get into detail about the video other than to note it concerned him, told the outlet.
Aviles said after receiving the messages, he reached out to his mother-in-law, asking her to check in on her daughter, but by the time she did, it was too late.
“I don’t think that it was an intentional act,” he said of his wife’s suicide. “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.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.