Jonathan Joss Shooting Suspect Utters Three Words Upon Arrest

Yahoo

2 days ago

New details have emerged in the tragic killing of actor , best known for his roles in "King of the Hill" and "Parks and Recreation," including a three-word confession cops say was made by the suspect at the scene.
Joss died on Sunday, June 1, in San Antonio, Texas, following what is being described as an altercation with his neighbor, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja.
Now, the San Antonio Police Department report has been released, and it details more information about the deadly encounter.
According to a police report obtained by the Daily Mail, Ceja was arrested shortly after the shooting and allegedly told officers, 'I shot him,' as he was being detained. He has since been booked on suspicion of murder and is currently being held on a $200,000 bond.
A witness told officers she had driven Joss from Austin to his San Antonio property, damaged in a recent fire, around 7 p.m. so he could check his mail. According to her account, she parked in the driveway while Joss and another individual, reportedly his husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales, got out of the vehicle.
Shortly after, the witness said Ceja pulled up behind her car with a passenger. In her rearview mirror, she claims she saw Ceja and Joss exchange heated words, during which Ceja allegedly threatened, 'he had a gun and would shoot [Joss].' Moments later, she said Ceja opened fire.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, but Joss was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 7:20 p.m. According to the report, police seized Ceja's weapon and noted he 'intentionally and knowingly discharged a weapon at [Joss], resulting in his death.'
Joss's husband, Tristan, has publicly stated he believes the killing was motivated by homophobia, claiming they have been "harassed" for two years by "openly homophobic" individuals.
"When we returned to the site to check our mail, we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view. This caused both of us severe emotional distress," Tristan recalled on Facebook. "While we were doing this a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired. Jonathan and I had no weapons."
However, the San Antonio Police Department released a statement dismissing that theory at this time.
"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," they said. "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."
One neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke with MySA, claiming the actor "wasn't a good neighbor" and he would "always do erratic things in the street."
Isabel Caballero, who's lived on the block since 2021, claims Joss "would just walk up and down the street" and "he would just like scream."
"But we knew how he was, so we wouldn't disturb him," she added. "Even if he looked at us, talked mess to us, we just ignored him because we knew that's how he was."
Joss was beloved by fans for his voice work as John Redcorn in "King of the Hill" and for his memorable role as Chief Ken Hotate in "Parks and Recreation." News of his death has sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans, friends, and former co-stars.
'Damn. RIP Jonathan," wrote in his Instagram Stories. "Always such a kind dude. Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones."
Meanwhile, shared that the entire "Parks and Recreation" cast has been texting about the tragic news. "We're just heartbroken,' Offerman told PEOPLE. 'Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy.'
The investigation remains ongoing.