Who was Erin Benavides? Revisiting her connection to Tony Parker and Eva Longoria after tragic news

Erin Benavides, a former Texas prosecutor once at the center of an NBA scandal, has died by suicide at 54. According to TMZ, Police found her dead at a home in Port Aransas on Oct. 14 after a friend of her husband alerted them to a worrying text message she had sent. The news came out this week and brought fresh attention to the 2010 claims linking her to Spurs star Tony Parker, who was married to actress Eva Longoria at the time. Benavides denied the affair. The investigation is still open, and police do not suspect foul play.Erin Benavides and her alleged link to Tony ParkerBenavides first made national headlines in 2010. She was married to Brent Barry then, who was Parker’s Spurs teammate from 2004 to 2008. Barry divorced her and alleged an emotional affair with the six-time All-Star. Longoria reportedly found hundreds of text messages from another woman on his phone, later identified as Benavides. Benavides denied the affair, and Parker reportedly denied any physical contact.Both marriages ended. Benavides and Barry had been married since 1998 and split in 2010. Longoria filed for divorce in November of that year, and the two divorced in 2011. The actress later told Extra that Parker had also cheated earlier in their marriage.Erin Benavides’ career and work for childrenBenavides later built a career in law. She worked as an assistant district attorney in Texas’ 38th Judicial District, which covers Uvalde and Real counties, from January 2023 until she resigned in August 2026. Her work was in the anti-gang and border prosecution unit.Outside the courtroom, she focused on children. From 2020 to 2022, she was president and CEO of the Youth Center of Texas, which offers crisis intervention and case management to child sex-trafficking victims. Yolanda Valenzuela, executive director of Kym’s Angels Foundation, also recalled her work with the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, where she helped run mass-adoption ceremonies and a Christmas fundraiser that bought gifts for local foster children.District Attorney Christina Mitchell paid tribute on Facebook. Mitchell said Benavides brought laughter and energy to the office and often spoke with pride about her sons. “Her boisterous laugh throughout the office will be greatly missed,” Mitchell wrote. She added that Benavides would be remembered for her dedication to the border unit and to making both counties safer.If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text 988 for 24/7 support, or visit 988lifeline.org for help.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.