A newly discovered selfie shows U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales embracing Regina Santos-Aviles, his former district office director who died by suicide in September 2025. The undated photo, recovered from Santos-Aviles' phone and saved to her device on September 8th, shows the congressman with his arm around her in an outdoor setting.

Santos-Aviles, who was separated from her husband and shared parenting responsibilities for their eight-year-old son, died in Uvalde, Texas, on September 13th. Gonzales acknowledged an affair with Santos-Aviles dating back to 2004, a relationship prohibited by House rules governing staff interactions. The scandal has engulfed his bid for a fourth term representing Texas' 23rd Congressional District.