3 days ago
Jonathan Joss, ‘King of the Hill' Voice Actor, Fatally Shot at 59
Jonathan Joss, best known as the voice actor behind King of the Hill's John Redcorn, died after being fatally shot at the age of 59, according to police.
During a dispute, Joss was shot and killed by a neighbor on Sunday night in San Antonio, Texas, said authorities. According to The New York Times, the neighbor was identified by investigators as Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, who was taken into custody and charged with murder.
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According to a statement shared on Joss' Facebook account by his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, the couple had returned to the site of their former home, which had been damaged in a fire, to check on their mail. They were approached by a man who began yelling homophobic slurs and fired his gun, said de Gonzales. 'Jonathan and I had no weapons. We were not threatening anyone,' said de Gonzales. 'We were standing side by side. When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life.'
Joss and de Gonzales married earlier this year on Valentine's Day. In a text message to The Associated Press, de Gonzales wrote, 'He was murdered.'
Joss was found near the street by officers, and paramedics pronounced him dead when they arrived, according to The Times.
The San Antonio Police Department did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone's request for comment.
Joss was best known for his distinct voice playing Redcorn, a Native American character on King of the Hill, which ran for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2008. The series will return to the small screen 15 years after it ended its original run and Hulu will debut Season 14 of King of the Hill in August. It's unclear if Joss will be featured in the revival. A rep for Mike Judge did not immediately return Rolling Stone's request for comment.
Joss also featured in a recurring role on the popular television show Parks and Recreation as Chief Ken Hotate. He has also appeared in Tulsa King, Ray Donovan, True Grit, and The Magnificent Seven.
Before his death, Joss posted a video on Instagram as he shared his excitement about the beloved series' return, saying that the 'reboot is up and moving' and invited fans to meet him at a comic shop in Austin, Texas, and take photos for free. When walking around the shop and discussing his character in the new series (his role in the next season has not yet been confirmed), Joss mused about the idea of 'expiration dates.'
'We have them, man, life and death. Sometimes we have a talent, a desire. Sometimes you get put on a shelf,' he said. 'If you're canned and you put on the shelf, expiration date is like forever. Be a can of whoop ass when you get on that shelf. Think about moving forward. Think about being a can with an amazing expiration date. So, even if they put you on the shelf, man, when you come out of that can, you're fresh.'
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