Erin Marie Benavides, a former Texas district attorney and ex-wife of NBA player Brent Barry, died by suicide at her home in Port Aransas on October 14. She was 54.
The Port Aransas Police Department responded to a welfare check at Benavides's residence, where they discovered she had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. An investigation into her death is ongoing.
Benavides served as an assistant district attorney in the 48th Judicial District Attorney's Office for Uvalde and Real counties from January 2023 until August 2026. Her work primarily focused on human smuggling cases with the Border Protection Unit.
In 2010, Benavides was in the national spotlight following her divorce from Brent Barry. Divorce records alleged she had an "emotional affair" with Tony Parker, who was then married to actress Eva Longoria. At the time, Barry and Parker were teammates on the San Antonio Spurs.
Sources told People magazine that Benavides and Longoria had become friends while their husbands played for the Spurs. The situation escalated publicly when Longoria reportedly discovered numerous "flirtatious" text messages between Benavides and Parker. A source indicated to People that while the messages were intimate, the affair did not become physical.
Brent Barry filed for divorce from Benavides in October 2010, citing irreconcilable differences. Longoria filed for divorce from Parker three weeks later, amid reports of infidelity.
Benavides's former employer noted her "earnestness and hard work" in a social media post. The statement described her as someone who brought "joy, laughter, and mirth" to the office and was remembered for her dedication to her work and commitment to making Uvalde and Real counties safer.