Authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of Jonathan Joss, a Native American voice actor celebrated for his work on “King of the Hill,” with focus on whether his sexual orientation was a factor in his death.

Joss’ husband believes it was a hate crime, alleging the shooter used “violent homophobic slurs” before the gunfire.

Initially,the San Antonio police stated there was “no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Joss’ murder was related to his sexual orientation.”

However, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus later clarified that this statement was premature, and the role of Joss’ sexual orientation “is part of the investigation.”

Since the death of Jonathan joss, friends, fellow actors, and fans have shared tributes and memories.

Who was Jonathan Joss?

Jonathan Joss, 59, was raised in San Antonio and a 1990 graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University’s communications and theater program.

Joss was most famous for voicing John Redcorn on “King of the Hill,” which aired for 13 seasons (1997-2008). He had also been involved in the show’s upcoming reboot, scheduled for release in August.

He also played Chief Ken Hotate on “Parks and Recreation,” and appeared in two 2022 episodes of “tulsa King.”

“Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief ken Hotate,”
– Nick Offerman

Events Leading to His Death

In january, Joss’ childhood home was destroyed by fire, resulting in the loss of all his possessions and the death of his three dogs. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales.

In a May 14 Facebook post, Joss stated, “We may have lost our home, but not our hope. We’re moving forward with love, humor, and a little elbow grease … and we’re incredibly grateful for every ounce of support,” also mentioning he was in Los angeles searching for a new home.

By late May, Joss had returned to Texas and performed live in Austin on Saturday, approximately 80 miles from San Antonio.

The Accused Shooter

Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, is accused of confronting Joss and his husband while they were checking their mail at their burned-down home on Sunday night.

De Gonzales stated that when Ceja Alvarez began shooting, Joss pushed him out of the way, saving his life.

Police found Joss near the road upon arrival, with reports indicating he had been shot multiple times.

Ceja Alvarez is charged with murder and was released on a $200,000 bond.