Movies

King of the Hill Star SHOT Dead! Was it a Hate Crime?

BBG News

59-year-old actor Jonathan Joss, renowned for his roles as Native American characters in TV and movies, tragically passed away following a shooting incident close to his residence in Texas on Sunday.

Police responded to a shooting incident on Dorsey Drive in San Antonio around 7 p.m., where they found an injured individual named Joss near the roadside. The San Antonio police reported that officers tried to save Joss’s life until paramedics arrived, but unfortunately, they later declared him deceased.

Tristan Kern de Gonzales, who got married to Joss earlier this year on Valentine’s Day, verified the actor’s passing to the Associated Press.

In a Facebook post following Joss’s passing, De Gonzales shared that they were both collecting mail at an old residence when the shooting incident occurred. He added that the house had been torched over two years after repeated threats from local residents who vowed to burn it down. Despite reporting these threats to law enforcement on several occasions, no action was taken. While residing there, they often encountered openly hostile and homophobic behavior.

Back in January, Joss shared with local news outlets that the house where he spent his childhood was tragically destroyed by a fire, and it also appeared to have been deliberately damaged while he and his partner were not at home. The devastating blaze is said to have claimed the lives of three of Joss’ beloved dogs.

In a statement issued following Joss’ passing, Joss’ spouse mentioned an encounter they experienced on their property while collecting mail. A stranger started hurling hateful, violent remarks against them based on their sexual orientation, escalating the situation by brandishing a firearm and discharging it.

According to De Gonzales, neither he nor Jonathan possessed any weapons. They weren’t trying to intimidate anyone; instead, they were mourning together. Side by side, we stood in sorrow. In that moment when the man pulled out a gun, Jonathan shielded me. He selflessly protected my life.

According to de Gonzales, it was someone who strongly disapproved of two men expressing their love for one another who committed the murder.

According to the San Antonio police, contrary to online speculations, the ongoing investigation has not uncovered any proof suggesting that Mr. Joss’s death was connected to his sexual orientation.

Investigators from the San Antonio Police Department take these accusations extremely seriously and have meticulously examined all accessible data. If fresh proof emerges, the accused will face charges in line with it.

Law enforcement officials apprehended Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, aged 56, and accused him of committing first-degree murder, as per local records. Previous reports by TMZ indicate that Joss and his neighbor had a history of both verbal and physical altercations, with their animosity dating back for many years, implying that the tension between them had escalated over time.

In 1994, Joss embarked on his acting journey, making appearances in several episodes of “Walker, Texas Ranger” and films such as “8 Seconds,” as noted on his IMDb profile.

In both the 1996 miniseries “Dead Man’s Walk” and the 2008 miniseries “Comanche Moon”, the character of Kicking Wolf was portrayed by Joss, a descendant of Apache and Comanche tribes. In an interview in 2008, Joss expressed his appreciation for the fact that Kicking Wolf wasn’t your average stoic Native American character. Instead, he brought some humor to the storylines.

In five episodes of the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation” between 2011 and 2015, Joss took on the role of Ken Hotate, the amusing and sharp-witted tribal chief of the fictional Wamapoke tribe. As stated by fellow cast member Aubrey Plaza in a 2014 interview with San Antonio local news, “He’s so hilarious.” The interactions between his character and Leslie Knope (portrayed by Amy Poehler) were among the funniest parts of the show due to their odd exchanges. Jonathan is known for his exceptional improvisation skills, often leaving the cast in stitches.

In an interview with People on Monday, Nick Offerman, co-star of Parks and Recreation, expressed his feelings about Joss’ passing: “We’ve all been exchanging messages about it throughout the day, and we’re absolutely devastated. Jonathan was a truly kind soul, and it was a pleasure to have him play Chief Ken Hotate on our show. This is an unimaginable loss.

It’s worth noting that one of Joss’ most recognized roles was voicing the character John Redcorn on the animated series “King of the Hill,” which ran for 13 seasons on Fox from 1997 to 2009. After Victor Aaron passed away in a car accident, he took over the role during the show’s second season. A revival of “King of the Hill” is set to air in August, and it appears that Joss has started recording lines for it.

A few days prior to his passing, Joss made an appearance at a discussion about the reboot on May 30th in Austin, Texas. Having expressed discontent on social media in April due to not being included in the initial panel, he voiced his thoughts from the audience instead.

For quite some time, this series had a significant role in my life. The character, the tone, the narrative – they were my sanctuary, my source of pride, my link to something greater than myself. Not receiving an invitation felt like being excluded from a place where I contributed to its construction. (Joss’s post on Facebook, April 21)

About a week past, he shared: “Disney responded, and though the ‘King of the Hill’ discussion is centered around series regulars, it was incredibly thoughtful of them to contact me directly. It carries great significance.

On Friday at the gathering, footage circulating on social media captured Joss seizing a microphone amidst the audience and declared, “As an actor, I find mics irresistible. I spot injustices; I address them.” He further added, seemingly referring to his character and himself, “Johnny portrayed a character because he embodies that character, he is that individual.” It’s said that Joss was escorted away from the event by security personnel.

According to Variety’s report, show creators Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin Patterson have announced that Jonathan Joss, who voiced John Redcorn on King of the Hill for more than a dozen seasons, will continue in the upcoming revival. They expressed in a statement that they will miss his voice on the show and offer their heartfelt condolences to Joss’s friends and family.

As a devoted fan, I’ve been following the heartbreaking news about Joss and his husband. After their home was tragically burned down in January, a GoFundMe campaign was set up to support them. Since the sad news of Joss’ passing, the donations have been pouring in. However, it seems that a message posted on Joss’ Facebook account, allegedly from de Gonzales, has asked people not to contribute to the GoFundMe. Instead, they requested that everyone remembers the joy and love Joss brought into our lives and continues to do so forever. Instead of donating, they would prefer if we spread awareness about the injustices faced by Joss, their family, and their beloved dogs. They had many beautiful plans for the future, and I believe it’s essential we honor their wishes.

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2025-06-03 08:06

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