Eric Patrick
Jonathan Joss, the actor best known for voicing John Redcorn on the hit animated series King of the Hill, was fatally shot by a neighbor in San Antonio, Texas. He was 59.
The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. on the city’s south side during a dispute between Joss and 56-year-old Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Alvarez was arrested at the scene and charged with murder.
While police have yet to confirm a motive, Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, described the killing as a hate crime in a statement posted to Joss’s official Facebook page.
“He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us,” Kern de Gonzales wrote. “He then raised a gun from his lap and fired.”
The couple had returned to a property where Joss’s home had previously been destroyed by fire. Kern de Gonzales claimed they had reported ongoing harassment by Alvarez to law enforcement on multiple occasions.
Despite the allegations, police said there is currently no evidence the killing was motivated by Joss’s sexual orientation.
“We take such allegations very seriously,” a department spokesperson said. “At this time, we have found no evidence indicating this was a hate crime. However, if new information emerges, we will pursue all appropriate charges.”
Officers responding to the scene found Joss lying near the street. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet disclosed the number of gunshot wounds. Alvarez is being held on a $200,000 bond. As of Monday, it remained unclear if he had retained legal counsel.
Joss, who was of Apache and Comanche descent, had a three-decade acting career and was known for playing Native American characters. He voiced John Redcorn on King of the Hill from 1997 to 2009 and was set to reprise the role in Hulu’s upcoming revival of the show, expected to premiere this August.
His television credits also included Parks and Recreation (as Chief Ken Hotate), Ray Donovan, Tulsa King, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Friday Night Lights. On film, he appeared in True Grit.
In January, Joss lost his longtime home and a pet dog in a fire. In an interview with local station KSAT, he said the house had no electricity or gas due to vandalism, adding, “I may have left something on that caused the fire.” At the time, he said he was unemployed.
A fan in San Antonio launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Joss following the fire. The fundraiser has begun receiving fresh donations in the wake of his death.
Joss grew up in San Antonio and held a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Our Lady of the Lake University. A complete list of surviving family members was not immediately available.