Congressional staffer catches fire and dies, TX family says. Police investigating
_fitted.png "Regina Santos-Aviles died after being fatally burned outside her home in Uvalde, her family says. The Texas Rangers are assisting police in an investigation.")
An investigation is underway after a congressional staffer was fatally burned outside a Texas home, officials and family say.
Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old staff member for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, died over the weekend, the Uvalde Police Department said in a Sept. 15 news release, adding that “at this point, there is no indication of foul play” but an investigation is being conducted.
Rep. Gonzales is a Republican representing Texas’ 23rd district.
A 911 dispatch log shows a call for help came from a Uvalde home at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, and EMS and police arrived within minutes.
A relative found Santos-Aviles on fire outside her home, and she suffered “extensive burns,” KSAT reported. She was pronounced dead the following day, Sunday, at 6:30 a.m., the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office told the outlet, though a cause of death has not been determined yet.
It was Santos-Aviles’ mother, Nora Ann Gonzales, who found her, according to the San Antonio Express News. She told the outlet her daughter’s death “was an accident.”
Santos-Aviles was awake and alert when first responders arrived, and the last thing she said before being taken away was “‘I don’t want to die,’” her mother told the outlet. “And they told her, ‘We will do our best to make sure we get you taken care of.’”
Santos-Aviles was responsible for spearheading development initiatives within Rep. Gonzales’ district, according to her LinkedIn profile.
But in addition to her official duties, family members said she was a loving wife and a devoted mother to her son, KSAT reported.
Rep. Gonzales told the station “we are all heart-stricken” by Santos-Aviles’ death.
“Regina devoted her profession toward making a difference in her community. She will always be remembered for her passion towards Uvalde and helping the community become a better place,” he said.
The Texas Rangers are assisting with the investigation, according to police.
Uvalde is a roughly 80-mile drive west from San Antonio.
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Congressional staffer catches fire and dies, TX family says. Police investigating."