The tragic end of a woman alleged to be the mistress of a Texas congressman has been detailed in an autopsy report, revealing she was intoxicated when she committed suicide by self-immolation, according to an exclusive from the Daily Mail.
Regina Aviles, aged 35, doused herself with gasoline and set herself on fire in her backyard on September 13 in Uvalde, Texas, a location roughly two hours from San Antonio.
The autopsy, accessed through a public records request, indicated Aviles had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.094, surpassing the legal driving limit of 0.08, even 36 hours post-incident.
In addition to alcohol, the report noted the presence of amphetamine, a drug often prescribed for ADHD, which was listed as a “known prescribed use” in her system.
As initially reported by the Daily Mail in October, anonymous sources alleged that Aviles and her employer, Representative Tony Gonzales, 45, began a romantic relationship after she started working for him in November 2021.
While the congressman’s spokesperson declined to refute the affair when given multiple chances by the Daily Mail, Gonzales himself later denied the allegations. Aviles was also married but separated from her husband at the time of her death.
In November, her death was ruled a suicide by self immolation, however, state officials had refused to release her autopsy until now – denying previous public records request.
Aviles’s body was ‘nearly 100 percent burned’ when her autopsy was performed on the September 15.
Regina Aviles’s final words were ‘I don’t want to die,’ according to her mother
Congressman Tony Gonzales hosted Elon Musk in September 2023 as he toured the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. Aviles can been seen on the right of Musk
Her body was described as charred with a ‘near total loss’ of the top layer of skin in the public documents.
She also had a broken heart tattooed on her right hand, the report states.
‘Regi’, as she was known by loved ones, was alone at her home September 13 when a home surveillance camera recorded her pouring liquid on herself and later being on fire.
Aviles and her husband had separated after he allegedly learned of the affair sometime in 2025, a source shared, but they continued to co-parent their eight-year-old son.
Local fire fighters arrived at her home around 9.30 pm.
She was airlifted to a hospital in San Antonio that same night for treatment.
She was declared dead on the morning of September 14 at the hospital, and the autopsy was performed the next day.
When asked about the affair in October, Congressman Gonzales’s office did not deny it.
‘Regina Aviles was a kind soul who had a lasting impact on her community, which she continued to serve until her untimely death,’ his spokesman told the Daily Mail.
Aviles poured gasoline over herself before becoming engulfed in flames at her home in Texas
The 35-year-old was found at in flames at the Uvalde property in September. Investigators determined she was home alone at the time
Gonzales, who has a wife, Angel, did not attend Aviles’s funeral, sources told the Daily Mail
‘To see political bottom feeders distort the circumstances around her passing is truly sickening. Tony Gonzales remains laser-focused on delivering historic achievements for Texas and condemns any attempts to misuse this tragedy.’
After dodging reporters for months and refusing to answer questions about the alleged affair, Gonzales later broke his silence.
‘The rumors are completely untruthful,’ he told reporters in November.
For help and support, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988.
