Jonathan Joss, best known as the voice of John Redcorn in the animated show King of the Hill, was killed after an altercation with a neighbor. His husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleges it was a homophobic hate crime.
According to multiple sources, including People, Joss was shot on Sunday, June 1. The San Antonio Police received a call at around 7 PM and found him lying “near the roadway.” Authorities reportedly tried to save the voice actor’s life, but Emergency Services declared him dead at the scene. Police confirmed to the outlet that officers arrested Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, 56. He reportedly tried to flee the scene in a vehicle. Authorities have booked him for first-degree murder.
Per The Independent, the shooting occurred outside Joss’ home after a dispute with a neighbor. Police reportedly arrested Ceja just a block away and have set his bond at $200,000.
Tristan took to social media yesterday. “He [Joss] was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,” Gonzales wrote. He also revealed that people in the area subjected him and Joss to threats for over two years. They allegedly burned the house down. In his statement, Gonzales says that he and Joss stopped at the property to check the mailbox when a man approached and yelled homophobic slurs at the couple. He then allegedly “raised a gun from his lap and fired.”
Gonzales also put the police force on blast, saying they had done nothing in spite of multiple reports. He adds, “Jonathan saved my life. I will carry that forward. I will protect what he built.”
Police Deny Claims The Shooting Was A Hate Crime
The San Antonio Police Department posted a statement on social media, directly addressing the claims. “SAPD Homicide is currently investigating the murder of Mr. Jonathan Joss. Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently, the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation. SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. Should any new evidence come to light, the suspect will be charged accordingly.”
The investigation into Joss’s death remains ongoing.