Latest news with #Joss'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What to know about fatal shooting of 'King of the Hill' actor Jonathan Joss as co-stars pay tribute
HOUSTON (AP) — While it remains unclear what prompted the fatal shooting of Jonathan Joss, a Native American voice actor best known for his work on the animated television series 'King of the Hill,' police say they are looking into whether his sexual orientation played a role in his death. Joss' husband has claimed the person who killed the actor yelled 'violent homophobic slurs' before opening fire. Initially, San Antonio police said they found 'no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Joss' murder was related to his sexual orientation.' But on Thursday, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus walked back that statement, saying it had been made prematurely and whether Joss' sexual orientation played a role in the shooting 'is part of the investigation.' Since Joss' killing, friends, actors Joss worked with and fans have honored the actor's memory with tributes and fond remembrances. Here's what to know about Joss, his career and his shooting: Who was Joss? Joss, 59, grew up in San Antonio and graduated from the communications and theater program at Our Lady of the Lake University in 1990. Joss was best known as the voice of John Redcorn, a Native American character on the popular 'King of the Hill' animated series, which ran for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2008. A reboot of the show, which Joss had already worked on, is set to start in August. Joss also had a recurring role on the television show 'Parks and Recreation,' playing Chief Ken Hotate. He appeared in two episodes of the series 'Tulsa King' in 2022. What was happening with Joss in the months before his death? Joss' childhood home, where he still lived, burned down in January. He lost all his belongings, and his three dogs were killed in the blaze. A GoFundMe account had been set up to help Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, get back on their feet. '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,' Joss said in a May 14 Facebook post in which he indicated he was in Los Angeles looking for a new home. By the end of May, Joss was back in Texas, and on Saturday, he took part in a live music performance in Austin, located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio. Who is accused of fatally shooting Joss? Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, is accused by police of confronting Joss and his husband as they were checking their mail at the burned-down home Sunday night. In a statement, de Gonzales alleged that when Ceja Alvarez opened fire, Joss pushed his husband out of the way and saved his life. Ceja Alvarez was charged with murder. He is free on a $200,000 bond. Ceja Alvarez's attorney, Alfonso Otero, asked the public to withhold judgment in the case until all the evidence is reviewed by prosecutors. 'Mr. Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez maintains his innocence and categorically denies any accusations and statements made against him by individuals and the media. We have confidence and trust that the judicial process will be fair to all parties involved and request everyone to respect Mr. Ceja and his family's right to privacy and his constitutional right to a fair trial,' Otero said in a statement released late Friday. Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said it was premature to decide if Joss' shooting was a hate crime, which under Texas law would be handled — if there's a conviction — as an enhancement during sentencing and not as a separate charge. 'We'll certainly keep our options open when the case is filed with us ... I'm not closing the door on the possibility of alleging hate crime as an enhancement in this case," Gonzales said during a news conference on Thursday. Robert Rios, a friend of Joss', told TV station KSAT that Joss and Ceja Alvarez were neighbors and the two had argued for years. McManus said police had been called to Joss' home and his neighborhood about 70 times over the past two years related to 'neighborhood type disturbances" and that sometimes Joss made those calls and at other times neighbors had called to report Joss. How is Joss being remembered by friends, actors? Actor Chris Pratt, who worked with Joss on 'Parks and Recreation,' fondly remembered the actor in an Instagram story on Monday. Both actors had also appeared in the 2016 remake of 'The Magnificent Seven.' 'Damn. RIP Jonathan. Always such a kind dude,' Pratt wrote. 'Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.' In a Facebook post, San Antonio-based Our Lady of the Lake University, Joss' alma mater, called him 'a trailblazer in his field. His work and advocacy have left a lasting impact, and his legacy will continue to inspire.' 'His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family,' the show's creators and producers — Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson — said in a statement on the animated series' Instagram page. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano: Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
San Antonio police were 'premature' in saying Jonathan Joss' murder wasn't a hate crime, police chief says
San Antonio's Chief of Police is walking back his department's previous claims that there was "no evidence" to suggest Jonathan Joss' death was a hate crime — instead saying that the assertion was "way premature." Police Chief William McManus rescinded the department's previous statement at a press conference Thursday while also apologizing to the LGBTQ+ community for dismissing their concerns. "We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss' murder that was way, way, way premature. Shouldn't have done it," he said. "It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say we shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." "We understand that many in the LBGTQ+ [sic] community are feeling anxious and concerned," McManus continued. "A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that. We shouldn't have done it. The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most heavily felt by the LBGTQ+ [sic] community." Joss, 59, was an out Indigenous actor known for his roles in comedies such as King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation. He had married his partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, just a few months ago on Valentine's Day. The couple had been living in Joss' childhood home for at least two years before it burned down in January. Kern de Gonzales revealed in a Facebook post that he and Joss were "involved in a shooting" when they returned to the site of their former home to check the mail. He claimed that the fire and the shooting occurred "after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire," and that despite reporting the threats to law enforcement multiple times, "nothing was done." Jonathan Joss "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," Kern de Gonzales wrote. "This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. 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." Kern de Gonzales asserted in his Facebook post that throughout their time living at Joss' family home as a couple, they "were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic." He later claimed in an interview with NBC that the alleged killer, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, called him and his husband "jotos," a Spanish slur for gay people, before shooting Joss. "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," he said in his post. The San Antonio Police Department released a statement shortly after Joss' death claiming that they had uncovered "no evidence" to suggest that the killing was a hate crime, which Kern de Gonzales' statement contested. "SAPD Homicide is currently investigating the murder of Mr. Jonathan Joss," the department wrote. "Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation." After retracting their previous statement at the Thursday press conference, McManus clarified that the police department doesn't charge hate crimes in Texas. Instead, they "gather the facts and we give those facts to the district attorney's office, then that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing." "There's also concern about the circumstances surrounding that death and the history in the neighborhood leading up to that," McManus said. "One of the most common questions that we've received is why this case isn't being charged as a hate crime at this point ... In Texas, hate crimes are not separate charges. Instead, they are addressed through sentencing enhancements." "Our homicide detectives are continuing to pursue every lead in the case to ensure that we understand the full picture of what led up to the senseless murder of Mr. Joss," he added. "We're committed to delivering a thorough and complete investigation."
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
Police weigh King of the Hill actor's sexual orientation as factor in killing
Investigators are looking into whether the sexual orientation of King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss played a role in his shooting death in Texas, authorities said Friday walking back a previous statement about the potential motive. Joss' husband has claimed the person who killed the actor yelled "violent homophobic slurs" before opening fire outside his home in San Antonio on Sunday (local time). A day after the shooting, San Antonio police issued a statement saying they had found "no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Joss' murder was related to his sexual orientation". But during a news conference today, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the statement was "premature" and that whether Joss' sexual orientation played a role in the shooting "is part of the investigation". "I will own that and simply say again that we simply shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued," McManus said. Parliament punishment, free money?, getting wicked again (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT The police chief said many in the LGBTQ+ community "are feeling anxious and concerned" after Joss' shooting and that "a lot of it has to do with that premature statement". "The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic, most heavily felt by the LGBTQ+ community," McManus said. Texas does not have separate hate crimes charges. But if homophobia is found to have been a motive in the shooting, that could result in a harsher sentence at trial under the state's hate crimes law. "We gather the facts, and we give those facts to the district attorney's office. And then that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing," McManus said. Candles, flowers, and notes are placed at a makeshift memorial in San Antonio. (Source: Associated Press) The actor's home burned down in January. Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, has said that they were checking mail there Sunday when a man approached them, pulled out a gun and opened fire. In a statement, de Gonzales said he and Joss had previously faced harassment, much of it "openly homophobic". ADVERTISEMENT Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, who is a neighbour of Joss, is charged with murder in the shooting. Ceja Alvarez has been released on a US$200,000 (NZ$331,260) bond. McManus said police had been called to Joss' home and his neighbourhood about 70 times over the past two years related to "neighbourhood type disturbances". "Sometimes [Joss] was the caller. Other times, the neighbours were calling on him," McManus said. The San Antonio Police Department's mental health unit as well as a unit known as SAFFE that works with residents to help prevent crime "had extensive engagements with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to mediate conflicts and connect him with services that he may have needed," McManus said. The January fire at Joss' home is still being reviewed by arson investigators, McManus said. Joss lost all his belongings in the blaze and his three dogs were killed. Actors who worked with Joss, along with friends and fans have honoured Joss' memory with tributes. ADVERTISEMENT "His voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family," the show's creators and producers — Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson — said in a statement on the animated series' Instagram page.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shocking Police Update About Jonathan Joss' Killing Highlights LGBTQ+ Community's Fears
A new detail about ' murder has come to light as authorities investigating the case released a statement, walking back their initial claims. The beloved "King of the Hill" actor was gunned down on June 1 during a fiery altercation with a neighbor close to his San Antonio, Texas, home. Circumstances around the shooting suggested a hate crime, especially with alleged evidence from Joss' husband. However, the San Antonio police denied such claims until now. In a June 5 press conference, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus gave an update on the case, admitting that his department had hastily declared Joss's shooting not a hate crime. Initially, the police concluded that their "investigation has found no evidence whatsoever" that the actor's sexuality played a role in his murder. However, following immense backlash from the public, Chief McManus confessed the statement was "way, way, way premature." Taking responsibility, he added, "Shouldn't have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say, again, that we shouldn't have done that. It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." The police chief further noted that the "premature statement" caused the LGBTQ+ community to feel "anxious," and for that, he once again apologizes. Concluding his speech, McManus paid tribute to the late star, saying, "The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most, most heavily felt by the LGBTQ+ community." Chief McManus' message at the press conference is a far cry from the initial statement the SAPD put out about Joss' killing. Just two days after he was shot, authorities debunked online claims of a homophobic attack, saying they "thoroughly reviewed all available information." According to them, "SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously." Now, with the turnaround, the police chief explained why they have yet to charge the suspected killer with a hate crime. He noted that hate crimes cannot be charged separately in Texas. Also, the District Attorney's office is responsible for determining the correct charge. However, Chief McManus assured that his team of detectives is following every lead to get to the truth of Joss' "senseless" killing. Following the press conference, the SAPD announced a community forum, hosted in collaboration with Pride San Antonio, a nonprofit organization specializing in Pride celebrations. In a poster shared on the department's official X page, they urged the LGBTQ+ community in San Antonio to join them in a helpful conversation as they discuss their fears. They also promised to share updates about Joss's case during the June 5 meeting. "We see you, we hear you, and we stand with you, today and always," the department promised. Unfortunately, the walk-back by the police has further enraged members of the LGBTQ+ community. Many took to online platforms to rant about how cases involving hate crimes are often taken with levity. "SAPD continuously fails the LGBTQ community, particularly when they're PoC," one user wrote. "The mishandling of this case is atrocious. SAPD is unprofessional. Something larger needs to be done within this department," another comment read. A third fan suggested the police chief resign over the poor handling of the case. "Chief McManus HAS to go! How dare he allow this big of a mistake to happen," the critic penned. Some fans insinuated that the Pride event was a ploy to victimize members of the LGBTQ+ community. The new update on Jonathan Joss' murder comes after his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, alleged that the shooting was inspired by homophobia. In a lengthy Facebook post, Gonzales recalled details of his husband's death, alleging that their San Antonio neighbors harassed and threatened them for two years. He claimed their burned property was due to those threats. Unfortunately, the bullying continued to that fateful day when they saw the skull of one of their dogs placed in plain view. Gonzales recounted that he and Joss cried in distress, which drew the attention of their neighbor, who was offended. Gonzales said the neighbor began "yelling violent homophobic slurs," after which he reached for his rifle and shot at Joss. The suspect has been identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. He has since been released on a $200,000 bail while awaiting trial.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Police explore hate crime motive in shooting death of ‘King of the Hill' actor
Authorities in San Antonio are reevaluating whether the shooting death of voice actor Jonathan Joss, best known for voicing John Redcorn on 'King of the Hill', was motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias. Joss, 59, was fatally shot Sunday evening outside his former home, which had previously been destroyed in a fire. Initial statements from police claimed there was no evidence linking Joss' sexual orientation to his murder. But San Antonio Police Chief William McManus walked back that assertion Thursday, calling the earlier statement 'premature.' He confirmed that investigators are now considering whether homophobia played a role. Joss' husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, said the couple had returned to their burned-out home to check the mail when a neighbor approached, shouted 'violent homophobic slurs,' and opened fire. Joss reportedly pushed his husband out of the line of fire before being fatally shot. 'King of the Hill' actor killed in shooting 'Jonathan saved my life,' de Gonzales wrote in a Facebook post. The accused gunman, 56-year-old Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, was arrested and charged with murder. He has since been released on a $200,000 bond. San Antonio police confirmed that Ceja Alvarez is a neighbor and that officers have responded to approximately 70 calls related to disturbances in the area over the past two years. While some calls were placed by Joss, others came from neighbors. Officials also said the department's community crime prevention units had 'extensive engagement' with Joss. Texas does not allow separate hate crime charges, but if a jury finds that homophobia was a motive, sentencing enhancements could apply under state law. Joss's home was destroyed by fire in January. The blaze killed his three dogs, and arson investigators are still reviewing the cause. His husband said the fire followed years of threats from neighbors, some of which were 'openly homophobic.' Tributes have poured in since the actor's death. 'King of the Hill' creators Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin Patterson said in a statement, 'His voice will be missed… and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family.' In addition to 'King of the Hill,' Joss appeared in 'Parks and Recreation,' 'Ray Donovan,' 'Tulsa King,' and 'The Magnificent Seven.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
