Who is Erin Benavides, the woman linked to Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's divorce, whose chilling suicide has reignited the scandal?

The death of Erin Benavides has brought fresh attention to the events behind Tony Parker and Eva Longoria 's divorce, more than 15 years after their marriage collapsed amid reports of messages between the former NBA star and another woman. Benavides , previously known as Erin Barry , died by suicide at her home in Port Aransas, Texas , on October 14 and she was reportedly identified as the woman linked to Parker in the controversy that engulfed both families in 2010.

A police report witnessed by Page Six has revealed that officers discovered three firearms and multiple bullets inside the property after authorities had been alerted by a call at approximately 19:08 CT from someone reporting that a woman had threatened to take her own life. Police forced entry into the home and found Benavides with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and investigators have said they do not suspect foul play as the investigation remains ongoing. The circumstances of her death have revived interest in a scandal that involved two high-profile marriages. At the time, Benavides was married to Brent Barry , a former San Antonio Spurs player and teammate of Parker , who was married to Desperate Housewives actress Longoria .

The allegations that brought two marriages to an end

The November 2010 after reports that Longoria had discovered hundreds of text messages between Parker and another woman, and Benavides was subsequently identified in media coverage as the person involved in the exchanges. However, the allegations were disputed as Benavides denied having an affair with Parker , whilst the former Spurs guard reportedly denied that the pair had a physical relationship. The messages nevertheless became a major focus of coverage as both marriages unraveled after Parker and Longoria had first met in 2004 before beginning a relationship the following year. They announced their engagement in November 2006 and married in Paris in July 2007, with a civil ceremony followed by a lavish celebration at a French chateau and Longoria was a familiar presence at Spurs games during Parker 's playing career as the couple became one of the most recognizable pairings in American entertainment and sport. They had no children together, and their marriage lasted just over three years before Longoria filed for divorce in Los Angeles on November 17, 2010, citing irreconcilable differences. She requested that her name be restored to Eva Jacqueline Longoria . Parker later filed his own petition, citing discord or conflict of personalities and Benavides ' life subsequently took a different direction from the celebrity headlines as she became a Texas prosecutor, working on human-smuggling cases and advocating for vulnerable children. She resigned from her position in August, around two months before her death and her professional career and earlier connection to Parker have now become part of the renewed public focus on her life. The allegations from 2010, however, were never established as fact, and her death does not resolve the disputed claims surrounding the two marriages.