Texas Congressional Staffer ‘Doused Herself in Gasoline’ and Lit Herself on Fire
Regina Santos-Aviles, deceased staffer for Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) Credit: LinkedIn
A Texas congressional staffer who died earlier this month after catching fire in her home’s backyard had poured gasoline on herself before the blaze, according to a new report.
Authorities reviewed surveillance video and determined that Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, was alone outside her Uvalde residence on September 13 when she was set ablaze.
First responders arrived around 9:40 p.m. and found Santos-Aviles suffering severe burns. Firefighters also had to extinguish burning gas cans nearby, according to records obtained by Uvalde Leader-News. She was rushed to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where she passed away the following morning.
Officials have not confirmed whether the fire was intentional, though her family maintains it was a tragic accident. “Her last words were, ‘I don’t want to die,’” a relative told KSAT.
Santos-Aviles previously served as director of the Uvalde Chamber of Commerce and was most recently working for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales as a congressional staffer.
In a statement released September 23, the Uvalde Police Department said they found no evidence that anyone else was involved in the incident. The official cause of death is still pending.
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