Texts show Rep. Gonzales sent explicit messages to staffer who later died by suicide

A recently revealed 2024 substance speech appears to amusement that Rep. Tony Gonzales encouraged 1 of his aides to nonstop him an explicit photograph — starring the aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, to propulsion back. Just implicit a twelvemonth later, the staffer died aft mounting herself connected fire.

The texts person drawn further scrutiny to the Texas Republican, who is present facing bipartisan disapproval implicit his alleged matter with Santos-Aviles. An lawyer for the staffer's hubby alleged to CBS News past week that Gonzales coerced Santos-Aviles into a intersexual relationship. Gonzales has denied the affair successful the past, and has claimed helium is being extorted.

CBS News has obtained a acceptable of texts that were extracted from Santos-Aviles' telephone that amusement a speech betwixt Gonzales and the precocious staffer.

In the exchange, which took spot aft midnight successful aboriginal May 2024, Gonzales asked for a "sexy pic." After a back-and-forth, Santos-Aviles said she didn't similar taking photos of herself. He responded successful a brace of texts: "I'm conscionable specified a ocular person" and "Sorry."

The congressman past asked Santos-Aviles what her "favorite position" is. She asked him to reply first, and helium did.

The adjutant past texted: "This is going excessively acold boss. So however agelong person you thought I was this hot?"

After different back-and-forth, Santos-Aviles said again: "This is excessively far, Tony."

Santos-Aviles aboriginal said to Gonzales: "Please archer maine you didn't conscionable prosecute maine due to the fact that I was hot."

"No way," Gonzales writes.

Several weeks aft that exchange, Santos-Aviles' husband, Adrian Aviles, learned astir their alleged relationship, helium antecedently told the San Antonio Express-News.

Then, the pursuing month, Aviles appeared to nonstop a substance from Santos-Aviles' telephone to Gonzales and respective different staffers successful his office. In that message, helium wrote that he'd discovered "she's been having an matter connected maine with your brag Tony Gonzales for immoderate clip now."

Aviles' lawyer, Bobby Barrera, told CBS News past week that Santos-Aviles' intelligence wellness declined sharply pursuing the extremity of her alleged narration with Gonzales — thing helium blamed connected the congressman's conduct.

Santos-Aviles died successful September 2025 aft she was recovered critically burned adjacent her location successful Uvalde, Texas, according to the section constabulary department. The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled the decease a suicide, according to CBS affiliate KENS.

The circumstances starring up to her termination are not clear.

In an interrogation with CBS News connected Monday, Aviles said helium wants to rebut Gonzales' denials of the matter and to show that "this is not thing that's been fabricated."

"You ended a household due to the fact that of your predatorial instincts," said Aviles, who has an 8-year-old lad with Santos-Aviles.

The caller details astir Gonzales' alleged narration are coming to airy arsenic the congressman fights for reelection. His territory on the U.S.-Mexico borderline is considered a harmless GOP seat, but Gonzales is facing a superior situation adjacent week from weapon rights activistic Brandon Herrera, who lost to Gonzales by less than 400 votes successful 2024. President Trump has endorsed Gonzales. Herrera called for Gonzales to measurement down past week.

A fistful of legislature Republicans criticized Gonzales aft the 2024 substance exchange emerged connected Monday. 

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado urged Gonzales to resign and suggested that House Republicans' run limb should commencement financially supporting Herrera. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina besides said Monday that Gonzales should resign, calling the allegations "deeply disturbing" and an "abuse of power." And erstwhile Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia called the story "shocking and disgusting."

Herrera besides drew endorsements Monday from Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and the Freedom Caucus Fund, a governmental enactment committee aligned with members of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus. Neither endorsement mentioned Gonzales.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Monday that the allegations against Gonzales are "very serious," but helium said "you person to let investigations to play out."

Gonzales denied having an matter successful November, saying successful a panel lawsuit astatine the Texas Tribune Festival successful Austin that the "rumors are wholly untruthful."

The congressman besides accused Barrera of trying to blackmail him past week. He shared connected X a screenshot of a missive from Barrera successful which the lawyer appears to suggest a $300,000 ineligible colony with a non-disclosure agreement.

"Disgusting to spot radical nett politically and financially disconnected a tragic death," Gonzales wrote.

Barrera denied that allegation, claiming to CBS News past week that it was really a modular confidential colony missive sent to the congressman's attorney. 

Aviles told CBS News, "This is not a ploy for money."

CBS News has reached retired to Gonzales' bureau for comment.

Juliegrace Brufke and Anne Bryson contributed to this report.