Who Was Jonathan Joss?
Veteran actor Jonathan Joss, best known as the voice of John Redcorn in King of the Hill, was fatally shot outside his San Antonio home on June 1 at age 59. He also appeared in Parks and Recreation and Tulsa King, and had recently spoken at the ATX TV Festival.
What Happened
Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, returned to their recently burned-down home to check the mail when a confrontation erupted with their neighbor, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez. The neighbor reportedly shouted hateful slurs and opened fire. Joss pushed his husband out of the path of bullets, saving his life before succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds.
Police Response: From Dismissal to Retraction
Initially, San Antonio police stated there was no evidence of a hate crime. That stance triggered outrage within the LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities Joss was openly gay and Native American. Following public outcry, Police Chief William McManus retracted the statement, calling it “way too premature,” and acknowledged that the investigation remains open to a hate-crime motive.
Ongoing Legal Developments
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Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, has been charged with murder and released on a $200,000 bond.
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Authorities are reviewing prior property fire and harassment reports linked to Joss’s home.
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Under Texas law, hate-crime factors are considered during sentencing not as separate charges.
