Rep. Tony Gonzales denies allegations that he had an affair with an aide who later died by suicide

US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is denying that he had an affair with a staffer who died by suicide last year, allegations that have gained new traction in the final days before a March 3 primary election.

Attorney Bobby Barrera, who represents Adrian Aviles, said his client’s spouse, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, had confessed that she had been having an affair with Gonzales in June 2024.

Gonzales denies having had the affair and says he’s being blackmailed.

Santos-Aviles, a former staffer in Gonzales’ district office in Uvalde, Texas, died in September, according to CNN affiliate KENS. The county medical examiner ruled that she died of self-immolation and listed her manner of death as suicide.

Barrera added that Santos-Aviles in 2024, showed text messages to her husband that revealed the extent of the affair. While Barrera described the messages as “substantial,” “graphic” and “detailed about the sexual relationship” that allegedly occurred between Santos-Aviles and Gonzales, he said it was up to Aviles to release the messages because of their sensitive nature.