Latest news with #JohnRedcorn
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Police take back statement dismissing hate crime in gay actor's killing
San Antonio police have walked back on a previous statement that there was no evidence of a hate crime in the killing of actor Jonathan Joss, with the police chief now calling the statement 'premature' and acknowledging the anxiety it has caused to the LGBTQ+ community. Joss, who voiced John Redcorn on the animated TV show 'King of the Hill' and played Chief Ken Hotate in the mockumentary series 'Parks and Recreation,' was fatally shot Sunday in San Antonio.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
King of the Hill creators SLAMMED over Jonathan Joss tribute days after his death at 59
The creators of King of the Hill have been slammed after they paid tribute to their late cast member Jonathan Joss following his tragic death at age 59. Joss, 59, was shot and killed in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday after a reported altercation with his neighbor Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja outside his home. On Tuesday, creators Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and King of the Hill revival showrunner Saladin K. Patterson remembered the actor with a heartfelt post on Instagram. 'Rest in peace, Jonathan Joss,' the post began. '"Jonathan brought King of the Hill's 'John Redcorn' to life for over a dozen seasons, including in the upcoming revival. His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family." – Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson.' The post included an image of Joss' King of the Hill character, John Redcorn, along with a 2021 black-and-white photograph of the late actor. However, the comments sections was inundated with messages from Instagram users slamming the creators over their response to Joss' uninvited appearance at the King of the Hill reboot ATX TV Festival panel. has contacted representatives for Judge, Daniels, and Patterson for comment. Joss was not invited to join the cast panel - which occurred two days before his death - but still attended as an audience member and interrupted the event as he took to the microphone and revealed his house had been burnt down because of his sexuality. Numerous fans said they would not be tuning in to watch the new reboot in light of the alleged incident. 'I will not be watching the reboot until you guys address the dismissals of him,' one posted. 'honestly its my fav show.' 'You people should be ashamed. I love the show, but I won't be watching the revival. Why was he not invited to the panel? Why were his cries for help not taking seriously?' 'I'm not watching the new season because it's very clear that you people do not care,' one posted. 'Rest in power Jonathan,' one wrote. 'We won't be watching the reboot.' 'I love the show but this looks hella hypocritical! We saw the video of the panel and i just feel so beyond disappointed. May he rest in power!' another wrote. 'Jonathan pleaded for help and all of you dismissed him. Now you're trying to save face,' another posted. 'This is weak sauce, guys. he deserves more than 3 slides, one of which is the photo they're using to report on his death. shame on you. this is lazy and disrespectful,' another posted. Just two days before his death, Joss made headlines for crashing a King of the Hill panel at the ATV TV Festival in Austin, Texas, with Variety revealing new details about his uninvited appearance. The ATX panel was meant to celebrate the show's new reboot, debuting August 4 on Hulu, with creators Mike Judge (who voices Hank Hill and Boomhauer) and Greg Daniels joined by three voice actors - Pamela Adlon (Bobby Hill), Toby Huss (Dale Gribble) and Lauren Tom (Connie). Variety's Michael Schneider moderated the panel, revealing it was supposed to be a 'small gathering,' which is why Joss wasn't invited to be on the panel. Schneider added that Joss was, 'quite miffed' about his exclusion from the panel, and took matters into his own hands, leaving his seat in the audience and approaching the microphones set up for the audience Q&A, but they were not yet turned on. When Toby Huss was speaking about writer and voice actor Johnny Hardwick, the original voice of Dale Gribble before Huss replaced him, Joss walked to the mic, as Daniels gave him an impromptu introduction as the voice of John Redcorn to the crowd. 'You were talking about Johnny, and I want to say something about him. This young man said I couldn't stand over there. I guess he didn't know that my land's already gone. He said the mic wasn't going to be used. And I'm an actor. I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I want to breathe,' Joss said. He added, 'Our house burned down three months ago,' as Schneider recalled someone in the audience yelled out, 'Dammit Bobby!' before Joss added that his house burned down, 'Because I'm gay.' Schneider added that the panel was 'frozen' and the audience let out a nervous laugh. One panelist said 'Uh,' as Joss responded, 'What? You're doing the same thing, sir. The mind's full of emotion. And real.' He then finally spoke about Johnny Hardwick, stating, 'Johnny, he gave you guys a character, because he is that character. He is that person.' Judge re-introduced Joss as the voice of John Redcorn, at which point Joss walked away from the microphone and past the stage, of his own accord, with Schneider mentioning he wasn't escorted away by security. After the panel backstage, Schneider revealed the panelists all agreed it was the 'right thing' to let him speak and not involve security, though the audience Q&A was skipped after Joss' interruption. He called the interruption, 'jarring,' with Schneider debunking reports that he was upset because he wasn't in Season 14 (he was upset because he wasn't on the panel) and insisted security didn't stop him from speaking, like others have suggested. The panel occurred just two days before Joss was shot and killed following a reported altercation with his neighbor Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja outside his home. Ceja was captured by law enforcement and has been booked on suspicion of murder. He was released on $200k bail this week. Police investigating the senseless murder have now apologized for a previous statement denying his killing was a hate crime. Joss' husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales claimed the shooting that claimed his spouse's life was carried out as part of a homophobia hate-fueled attack - although the San Antonio Police Department later issued a statement dismissing this theory. In a press conference Thursday, San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus walked back the statement and said it had been issued 'way too prematurely.' He said: 'We shouldn't have done that, it was way too early to make a statement of that nature, we didn't have information to make that statement. 'We understand the LGBTQ+ community are feeling anxious and concerned, a lot of it has to do with that statement, we're sorry.' 'The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and felt by the LGBTQ+ community, there's also a concern around circumstances surrounding that death and the history leading up to that.' The previous statement from a San Antonio PD spokesman had read: '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.' Chief McManus addressed the question of why Ceja had not been charged with a hate crime, saying: 'In Texas hate crimes are not separate charges, instead they are addressed through sentencing enhancements. 'We don't charge with hate crimes, we gather the facts and give those facts to the DA's office. 'A hate crime would be determined at sentencing. 'We're committed to delivering a thorough and complete investigation to file with the DA.' Referring to a fire that destroyed Joss' home in January of this year, he added: 'We're also working closely with arson investigators to understand the fire in this case 'The investigation is still active. 'We've also seen concerns about the volume of calls to Jonathan Joss' residence. 70 calls over 2 years involving neighbor disturbances 'Sometimes he was the caller and other times not.' He confirmed mental health services had made 'repeated efforts to mediate conflicts' and 'connect Joss with services he needed.' Chief McManus ended with a message to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, saying: 'Please know your safety and trust matter to us deeply.' New details about the run-up to the violent crime also emerged via a police report obtained by with an unnamed witness stating they drove Joss from Austin to his burned down San Antonio home around 7pm on June 1 to check his mail. The witness said she pulled up and parked in the driveway while she waited for Joss and another witness to check the mail. Joss' husband Gonzales has claimed he was with the actor on this trip and during the murder. Per the report, she said she saw suspect Ceja pull up in his vehicle with a passenger and stop 'directly behind her car.' She allegedly saw Joss and Ceja argue in her rear view mirror, and claimed Ceja told Joss 'he had a gun and would shoot [Joss].' She claims Ceja then shot Joss. Per the report, Joss was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.20pm and Ceja was detained by police and 'immediately told them "I shot him". His weapons were seized. The report states that '[Ceja] intentionally and knowingly discharged a weapon at [Joss] resulting in his death.' Joss already had a rough year, with his San Antonio house burning down in January, losing his home and two of his three dogs, with the final pooch still missing. He told KSAT in January that he was having issues with the electricity, and he was using a propane heater to keep the house warm, though he hinted that maybe, 'somebody may have come in and did something, who knows.' Joss also lost his car in the blaze, but the GoFundMe organized by Logan Kostroun successfully raised $10,721 from a $15K goal. But neighbors told TMZ on Monday that his house burned down because he attempted to use a BBQ pit to heat it after the city allegedly 'shut off his power when the property was deemed unsafe and uninhabitable.' Gonzales — whom he wed on Valentine's Day — claimed he was murdered after they were 'harassed' for two years by 'openly homophobic' individuals who 'did not accept our relationship. '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,' the South Carolina native 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.' He continued, 'We were not threatening anyone. We were grieving. We were standing side by side. When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life.' Tristan added, 'My focus now is on protecting Jonathan's legacy and honoring the life we built together.''
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Chilling video shows King of the Hill star Jonathan Joss' final moments
Holding a pitchfork and shouting about deportations, King of the Hill actor Jonathan Joss can be seen in newly surfaced video in a confrontation with neighbors moments before he was shot and killed. Residents of the south San Antonio area where Joss lived appeared to question him for wildly waving a pitchfork as he was walking down the street in footage obtained by local TV station KSAT. 'I'm walking down the street. I'm rehearsing. I'm in movies, man. I'm rehearsing a scene,' responded the man best known for voicing the character John Redcorn in the animated show. Joss, 59, died after being shot by his neighbor, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, Sunday in Texas, the local cops stated. An arrest report from the San Antonio Police Department obtained by states Alvarez uttered 'I shot him' as he was detained by arresting officers. Prior to the shooting, Joss' public spectacle attracted the attention of many residents, including the woman who shot the argument on her phone. 'What's it feel like bro,' a man can be heard saying to Joss. 'Pulling a gun on somebody- that's reason for deportation, man,' the actor replied. The San Antonio Police Department had been called to Joss' home 70 times over the two years, Chief William McManus told the media Thursday at a press conference. 'Sometimes he was the caller; other times the neighbors were calling on him,' McManus shared. A feud between Joss and Alvarez had gone on for some time, forcing the involvement of the San Antonio Fear Free Environment – a police unit tasked with crime prevention. A police mental health unit had also had 'extensive' contact with Joss, the police chief said. Joss's husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, told the Independent that the couple had been the subject of harassment for years because of their sexuality. While initially denying that Joss's death was connected to his sexuality, McManus repeatedly said Thursday he 'shouldn't have done it.' 'That was way, way, way premature,' the chief stated. 'We shouldn't have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that.' McManus added what role of the actor's sexuality may have played in his death is now a factor in the investigation, which is still on-going. 'That is part of the investigation and whatever we find out, we will turn over to the package we give to the district attorney's office,' the top cop stated. The issue of potential hate crime charges was also addressed by the chief, explaining his investigators would gather evidence of a hate crime, but ultimately, a district attorney would use the evidence in elevating charges if they were motivated by a person's race, religion or sexual orientation. 'In Texas hate crimes are not separate charges. Instead they are addressed through sentencing enhancements,' McManus explained. 'If a second-degree is eventually designated as a hate crime, then that would bump up to a first-degree felony.' Alvarez bonded out of jail Wednesday on a $200,000 bond.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘King of the Hill' voice actor Jonathan Joss shooting suspect released from jail on $200K bond
The man accused of killing voice actor Jonathan Joss was released from jail on Monday, after allegedly admitting to authorities what he had done, according to a police report obtained by KSAT. Joss, 59, was best known for his character John Redcorn on King of the Hill. He was shot and killed on his property in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday night, authorities said. The suspect, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, who was Joss's neighbor, posted a $200,000 bond Monday night, a Bexar County court spokesperson told Yahoo News. (The San Antonio police report originally misstated his name as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja.) He is now under house arrest (and thus subject to random drug testing) is not allowed access to any firearms and cannot make contact with Joss's family. Ceja Alvarez allegedly told San Antonio police, 'I shot him,' after he was taken into custody on Sunday, KSAT reported. Officers responded to a call about a shooting around 7 p.m. on Sunday on the south side of San Antonio. Police found Joss near the roadway, and police attempted life-saving measures until the EMS arrived and pronounced him dead. Ceja Alvarez had fled the scene but was caught and arrested by police one block away, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Joss's husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged in a post on Joss's Facebook page on Monday that Joss was 'murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other.' 'He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us,' Kern de Gonzales wrote. 'He then raised a gun from his lap and fired.' San Antonio police said in a statement on Monday that their investigation has found no evidence that shows 'Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation.' A court hearing for Ceja Alvarez has been scheduled for Aug. 19, according to News 4 San Antonio. Joss was best known for his role as John Redcorn on King of the Hill, which aired from 1997 until 2009. He took over for the original Redcorn voice actor, Victor Aaron, in the show's second season, after Aaron died in a car accident. Joss also played the recurring role of Chief Ken Hotate in NBC's Parks and Recreation and appeared onscreen in Ray Donovan, True Grit and The Magnificent Seven. King of the Hill was revived for its 14th season, which will premiere on Hulu in August. Joss was not invited to partake in the revival, but he did attend the King of the Hill cast panel at 7 p.m. local time at Austin's ATX TV Festival on Friday, roughly 48 hours before he was found shot in San Antonio. Joss lost two dogs and his San Antonio childhood home in a fire in January. 'This is a house I grew up in. I'm more concerned about my dog that died, but you know what? The good Lord will protect us,' Joss told KSAT at the time, adding that his father built the home in 1957. Joss was of Comanche and White Mountain Apache ancestry, and his performances as Native characters on TV resonated with a lot of fans who took to social media to commend Joss's work. 'John Redcorn was pretty much the only contemporary Native representation I had in comedy growing up,' one viewer wrote on X. 'Probably the funniest Native character in cartoon history and a lot of that was on Jonathan Joss' pitch perfect rezzy uncle performance. RIP to one of the best to ever do it.' Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the day this shooting took place.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans Rage Over 'Hypocritical' 'King Of The Hill' Tribute To Jonathan Joss, Demand 'Public Apology'
is being fondly remembered by the creators of "King of the Hill." The beloved actor was well known for playing the role of John Redcorn on the hit sitcom before his tragic death. Joss was gunned down near his San Antonio, Texas, home on June 1, in what is suspected to be a hate crime shooting. In a touching tribute, the team honored their late cast member, but fans believe it is fake, given that Joss was allegedly mistreated by the crew just two days before his passing. On the animated series' official Instagram page, a statement was released to mourn Jonathan Joss' loss. Alongside three photo slides, including an image of his on-screen character, the tribute read: "Rest in peace, Jonathan Joss. Jonathan brought King of the Hill's 'John Redcorn' to life for over a dozen seasons, including in the upcoming revival." It continued, "His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family." The statement was signed by Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin Patterson, the creators of "King of the Hill." Joss voiced the character of Redcorn after taking over in the late '90s and was set to feature in the reboot, which will premiere in August, before his life was cut short. In one of his final videos, the late Hollywood star gushed that the "reboot is up and moving," showing anticipation for filming. Despite Joss' excitement for the reboot, his relationship with the crew didn't seem to be the best. Just two days before he died, he was escorted out of a panel for the series as part of the ATX TV Festival held in Austin, Texas. While his co-stars Pamela Adlon, Lauren Tom, and Toby Huss, alongside writer Patterson, sat on stage to discuss the revival, the late actor was relegated to being in the audience. While the panel was still ongoing, Joss, as seen in a fan-recorded clip, grabbed the microphone to express his concerns. "I'm an actor. I see a mic, I use it. I see a wrong, I make it right. I take a breath, I want to breathe," he said to nervous laughs from the audience. Joss then informed his colleagues that his house had burned down three months prior. According to the deceased actor, the arson was a hate crime "because I'm gay." While continuing his rant, he was seen walking towards the stage, but not before security approached to escort him out of the panel. Given the poor treatment the "Parks and Recreation" actor received from his colleagues in his final days, fans were outraged by the tribute post. Many condemned the creators of "King of the Hill" for not listening to Joss' truth about being a victim of a hate crime. "You people should be ashamed. I love the show, but I won't be watching the revival. Why was he not invited to the panel? Why were his cries for help not taken seriously?" one concerned fan questioned. "Weren't you all just laughing at him and dismissing his claims of hate when he was standing in front of the cast panel? While not being invited on stage with the rest of the cast?" a second comment read. An angry fan urged the creators to apologize for their actions, writing, "He came to you all with his testimony, and you dismissed him. He is owed a very public apology." A fourth similar remark read, "I love the show, but this looks hella hypocritical! We saw the video of the panel, and I just feel so beyond disappointed. May he rest in power!" As The Blast previously reported, Joss' life was cut short at 59 following an altercation with his neighbor, who has now been identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. Police report confirms that the incident occurred around 7 pm. An unnamed witness who drove Joss from Austin to his burned San Antonio property to check his mail recalled seeing the altercation unfold. While the actor and a second person, presumably his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, were checking the mail, Ceja allegedly pulled up to the scene in a vehicle. The neighbor then got into an altercation with Joss, where he threatened, "he had a gun and would shoot," the witness claims. Joss was pronounced dead at the scene while authorities rounded up Ceja and seized his weapon. Upon his arrest, he allegedly told the officers, "I shot him [Joss]." He has since been booked for suspicion of murder and is currently being held on a $200,000 bond. Following the incident, Gonzales broke his silence about his husband's tragic death in a lengthy statement. The heartbroken spouse gave a firsthand account of the altercation, claiming they were targets of homophobia from neighbors. According to Gonzales, he and Joss were often threatened. On that fateful day, he alleged seeing the skull of one of their dogs with its harness placed in plain view, causing them to scream in distress. Their cry was what drew Ceja's attention. He was angry about their noise, which fueled the altercation and resulted in Joss's death. An emotional Gonzales confirmed his late husband stepped in front of the gun to save him. "When the man fired, Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life," he recalled. "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other. I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved."
