A staffer in the office of Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, died earlier this month after she “doused herself in gasoline and was ignited into flames,” according to police.
Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old regional district director for Gonzales since 2021, caught fire while alone in the backyard behind her Uvalde, Texas, home on the night of Sept. 13, according to the Uvalde Police Department.
She died a day later at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio due to severe burns. Firefighters reportedly found a burning can of gasoline in the backyard.
Uvalde police are investigating the death with assistance from the Texas Rangers, but officials said they do not suspect foul play or that anyone else was involved in the death of Santos-Aviles.
“Preliminary findings from DPS personnel confirming that Regina Santos-Aviles was alone in her backyard when the fire began,” Uvalde Police Chief Homer E. Delgado said in a statement last week. “At this stage of the investigation, we do not have any information to suggest that anyone else was involved.”
A relative of Santos-Aviles told KSAT that the incident was an accident, saying, “Her last words were, ‘I don’t want to die.'”
Gonzales said in a statement: “We are all heart-stricken by the recent news. 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.”
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