A glamorous, hard-nosed Texas prosecutor who was accused of having an “emotional affair” with NBA Hall of Famer Tony Parker while he was married to Eva Longoria has died by suicide.
Erin Marie Benavides, 54, who was previously married to San Antonio Spurs star Brent Barry, was found dead in her Port Aransas home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Oct. 14 after her husband’s friend called police about an alarming text she had sent, the Uvalde Leader-News first reported.
Benavides made national headlines in 2010 when Barry divorced her, alleging she had an “emotional affair” with Parker, a six-time All-Star and his teammate on the Spurs from 2004 to 2008.
She worked as an assistant district attorney in Texas’ 38th Judicial District, which includes Uvalde and Real counties, with its anti-gang and border prosecution unit from January 2023 through August 2026, when she resigned.
She appeared to be living alone and was unemployed, according to Port Aransas police, who discovered journals in the home that indicated she was actively looking for a new job.
Benavides’ husband, Pablo “Paul” Benavides, lives in San Antonio and owns the home where she was discovered, according to the Leader-News.
In addition to her legal work, she was also a passionate advocate for children.
From 2020 to 2022, Benavides served as president and CEO of the Youth Center of Texas, which provides crisis intervention and case management for child sex-trafficking victims, according to the San Antonio Express.
Yolanda Valenzuela, executive director of Kym’s Angels Foundation, also remembered Benavides for her child-welfare work with the the Bexar County Child Welfare Board.
She helped with its mass-adoption ceremonies and Christmas fundraiser, which provided gifts to local foster children.
She was previously married to Barry from 1998 to 2010 before Longoria claimed she discovered hundreds of texts from Benavides on Parker’s phone.
The actress told Extra in an interview that Parker had also cheated on her earlier in the marriage. The two divorced in 2011.
Benavides denied the affair.
Christina Mitchell, the 38th District District Attorney, said Benavides brought “joy, laughter, and mirth to the office.”
“Her boisterous laugh throughout the office will be greatly missed,” Mitchell posted on Facebook. “Erin loved her boys and always shared, with such pride, their accomplishments.
“Erin will be remembered for the time and attention she gave to her work as a Texas prosecutor, her dedication to the [Border Prosecutions Unit] and the 38th District Attorney’s office and for her commitment to making Uvalde and Real counties safer communities.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
