Erin Marie Benavides, a former assistant district attorney who prosecuted human smuggling cases along the Texas border, has died at 54. She was previously married to Brent Barry, the former San Antonio Spurs guard who won two NBA championships.
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Benavides died October 14 in Port Aransas, Texas. Authorities believe her death was a suicide, according to the Uvalde Leader-News. Police said no foul play is suspected and the investigation remains active.
The 38th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which serves Uvalde and Real counties, announced her death in a Facebook post.
“It is with heartfelt sorrow that my office recognizes the passing of Erin M. Benavides. Erin worked in my office as the BPU Assistant District Attorney from January 2023 to August 2026,” the office wrote. “During her time in my office, Erin diligently worked through the outstanding number of pending smuggling cases.”
“In addition to her earnestness and hard work, Erin brought much joy, laughter, and mirth to the office,” the statement added. “She would recognize when levity was needed, especially when dealing with difficult situations or a long workday.”
Benavides spent more than three years as an assistant district attorney in the 38th Judicial District, which is led by District Attorney Christina Mitchell. She worked in the office’s Border Prosecution Unit, where she managed a heavy caseload of pending human smuggling cases, along with work tied to the region’s anti-gang and border initiatives. Her time with the office ended in August, two months before her death.
Benavides graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio and was licensed to practice in Texas in 2013. Attorney directory records show no misconduct on file.
Before her legal career, Benavides was known in San Antonio as Erin Barry. She and Brent Barry married in 1998 after dating since high school. During their marriage, she was active in adoption advocacy, receiving a Congressional Angels in Adoption award in 2007, and she launched an initiative with Barry through the Spurs Foundation to benefit children in protective services.
Barry filed for divorce in 2010, and it was finalized in 2011, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
The son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Brent Barry played 14 seasons for six NBA teams and won championships with the Spurs in 2005 and 2007. He later spent six years in the Spurs’ front office as vice president of basketball operations before joining the Phoenix Suns as an assistant coach in 2024. Barry has not commented publicly on her death.
Benavides married attorney Pablo “Paul” Benavides in June 2022. The Uvalde Leader-News said it contacted Paul Benavides and District Attorney Mitchell but had not received a response as of its publication. No funeral or memorial arrangements have been announced.