Latest news with #KingoftheHill
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police Chief Regrets Saying There Was No Evidence Jonathan Joss' Death Was Hate Crime
The San Antonio Police Department is walking back statements made while investigating the death of actor Jonathan Joss, noting that it had been premature to say there was 'no evidence' the shooting was a hate crime. Joss, known for his roles on 'King of the Hill' and 'Parks and Recreation,' was shot and killed during an encounter with a former neighbor on Sunday night. The admission from police comes after scrutinization for their handling of the case. They had been accused of ignoring long-standing threats of violence that Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, said they had faced. The shooting, according to a Facebook post from de Gonzales, followed years of harassment and took place after a man — identified by police as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja — hurled 'violent homophobic slurs' at the couple. In a Monday statement on X, San Antonio police pushed back on de Gonzales' claims. '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,' the department wrote. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus admitted in a Thursday press conference, however, that the department's prior statement was 'way, way, way premature.' 'Shouldn't have done it, it was way too soon before we had any real information,' he told reporters in a press briefing. 'It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued.' McManus said officers were continuing their investigation and looking into if Joss' sexual orientation played a role in the attack. He also explained that hate crimes are not treated as separate charges in Texas and are 'enhancements' on an existing charge that would be added during the sentencing process. 'We don't charge with hate crimes, 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. Joss was shot while he and de Gonzales were returning to their former neighborhood to pick up mail, according to de Gonzales' statement on Facebook. The two visited the site of their old home, which had burned down, and were crying in response to seeing a dog's skull, believed to be one of their pets, 'placed in clear view,' he said. As they were crying, their former neighbor, Ceja, allegedly confronted them, yelled homophobic slurs and pulled out his gun, fatally shooting Joss. Ceja has reportedly confessed to police, stating after the incident, 'I shot him.' Joss' death followed years of threats from Ceja and other neighbors, says de Gonzales, who noted that the couple was 'harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship.' McManus said police were also investigating the fire that burned down Joss' home, a blaze the actor had previously accused Ceja of starting. 'People in the area… repeatedly told us they would set it on fire,' de Gonzales wrote. 'We reported these threats to law enforcement multiple times and nothing was done.' McManus noted that police had a record of conflict between Joss and his neighbors and that they had received 70 calls over the last two years about related disturbances. 'Sometimes [Joss] was the caller, other times the neighbors were calling on him,' McManus said, adding that police repeatedly mediated conflicts between parties in the area. Joss was the longtime voice of John Redcorn in 'King of the Hill,' and was also known for his role as Chief Ken Hotate on 'Parks and Recreation.' The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ rights advocacy group, called on Tuesday for a 'complete investigation' of Joss' death. 'We know the heaviness and fear that comes with seeing reports of anti-LGBTQ+ violence in your social media feeds. We feel it too,' the group wrote in a Blue Sky post.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jonathan Joss shooting: Police, Pride San Antonio hold community forum
The Brief Community forum held in San Antonio following murder of actor Jonathan Joss Joss was shot, killed outside his home in San Antonio on Sunday night San Antonio police on Thursday walked back a statement refuting "online claims" of Joss's murder being related to his sexual orientation SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Pride San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Department held a community forum Thursday evening following the murder of actor Jonathan Joss. Joss, known for his roles as John Redcorn in "King of the Hill" and Chief Ken Hotate in "Parks and Recreation," was shot and killed outside his home in San Antonio on Sunday, June 1. What they're saying The forum comes after the man suspected of killing Joss was released on bond the day after the shooting and after San Antonio police walked back a statement they posted on social media refuting "online claims" of Joss's murder being related to his sexual orientation. San Antonio police chief William McManus said during the forum that his department is working with the San Antonio Fire Department's arson investigators to look into what happened to Joss's home earlier this year and previous calls concerning Joss and his neighbors. The majority of the forum was McManus speaking with audience members, hearing their stories and concerns, including a woman speaking about her brother's murder. Watch the full forum below: Members of the LGBTQ+ community believe the actor was the victim of a hate crime. "We issued a statement, I believe it was the day after, the day after Jonathan Joss's murder, that was way, way, way premature. Shouldn't have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information," San Antonio Police Chief William Mcmanus. A wide range of emotions were felt across the room. "We just feel that there are a lot of misinterpretations that are happening. Social media can be very volatile, and we reached out to the SAPD. We feel that it is important to be able to bridge the gap and just get to a truth that everybody can understand," says Pride San Antonio secretary James Poindexter. San Antonio police accuse the voice actor's neighbor, 56-year-old Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, of being the gunman in the shooting. In a post to social media, Joss' husband says the suspect yelled homophobic slurs prior to the deadly shooting. The police department says this led to criticism from the public for failing to charge the suspect with a hate crime. "Hate crime is not a crime in itself, it is attached to another crime: murder, assault or criminal mischief. The way that works is the DA's office will add that to the indictment," says San Antonio Police Chief William Mcmanus. "We are also working with the San Antonio Fire Department. Arson investigators went back to look at the fire to Mr. Joss' house. We are investigating that as well. That information can also be included in the filing when we take it to the DA's office," he added. During the forum, Pride San Antonio opened the floor for those that wanted to voice their concerns to the police department. "During pride month, it is a big time right now we need to get everybody together on the same page so that we can talk to each other inside each other or around each other," says Pointdexter. SAPD says if there is any new evidence, the suspect will be charged accordingly. What we know Bexar County Court records show that Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, posted $200,000 bond on Monday night, the day after the deadly shooting. Ceja Alvarez was ordered to full house arrest and his pre-trial supervision began on Tuesday afternoon, records show. Under the conditions of his bond, Ceja Alvarez is subject to random drug testing, is not allowed to possess any firearms or make contact with Joss' family. A pre-trial hearing is set for August 19. What we know Joss, 59, was shot and killed in south San Antonio on Sunday night. Police arrested Ceja Alvarez in connection with the crime. He is charged with murder. TMZ reported Joss and Ceja Alvarez were neighbors and had been in disputes in the past. On Monday, Joss' husband posted online that the suspect yelled "violent homophobic slurs" prior to the shooting. Joss and de Gonzales had been married since February, according to social media posts. What they're saying The husband of slain "King of the Hill" voice actor Jonathan Joss spoke out again on social media on Tuesday night. Tristan Kern de Gonzales spoke at length about his relationship with Joss and Joss's love of his fans and work, and gave his account of Joss's last moments. His comments come after San Antonio police made a statement on social media, saying its investigation has so far found "no evidence" that Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation. READ MORE: Jonathan Joss shooting: Co-stars remember 'King of the Hill', 'Parks and Rec' actor De Gonzales detailed his husband's last moments, including holding him as he died and telling him that he loved him. De Gonzales also said that Joss had been harassed not just for his sexual orientation, but also for his Native American heritage. He said the couple experienced harassment from neighbors, including threats to burn down their house and homophobic slurs. He also criticized San Antonio police at points during the live. Dig deeper Claims by Joss' husband were refuted by the San Antonio Police Department in a statement on social media Monday night. "Despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the [sic] Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation. SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information," wrote the department in a post. The department says if any new evidence comes out, the suspect will be charged accordingly. However, in a press conference on Thursday morning, Chief McManus called that statement "way premature." "We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss's murder that was way, way, way premature," McManus said. "Shouldn't've 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 be issued." McManus went on to address calls for this to be investigated and charged as a hate crime, saying that in Texas, hate crimes are not separate charges, but rather addressed as penalty enhancements. The backstory In addition to playing John Redcorn for multiple seasons on "King of the Hill", Joss also made appearances in several other shows. He played Chief Ken Hotate in "Parks and Recreation" and had other small roles in "Ray Donovan," "Walker, Texas Ranger" and "Tulsa King." Joss also appeared in the films "True Grit," "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Forever Purge." The Source Information in this report comes from Bexar County court records, Jonathan Joss's husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales, the San Antonio Police Department and previous reporting.
1News
4 hours 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.
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
King of the Hill star Jonathan Joss fought 'so hard to stay alive' after he had been shot
Jonathan Joss "struggled so hard to stay alive" after he had been shot. The actor - who was best known for voicing the part of John Redcorn on the animated TV series King of the Hill - was killed in a shooting on Saturday (31.05.25) in San Antonio, and now his husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales has recalled his last few moments. He told People: "Everything happened so quickly. Everything was very close range and due to the severity and the trauma of the various head wounds, I knew that there was no hope of saving Jonathan's physical form, and he was struggling so hard, trying to stay alive. It was just really, really close range." Tristan urged Jonathan that he "didn't need to keep fighting" as he lay dying, but claimed that the alleged gunman Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja was just "laughing" at them throughout the ordeal. He said: "I held my husband's face together as best I could, and I told him how much I loved him, and that none of this was his fault. I told him he needed to cross over easy. He didn't need to keep fighting. "I told him that no matter what, and in some way, shape, or form, we'll always be together, and he'll always be my husband. "[The alleged gunman] was laughing. He mocked me for telling my husband that I loved him and used the same homophobic slurs. "The flashbacks are very, very intense, and they affect my whole body." Police have said that Alvarez, 56, admitted to shooting and killing the Parks and Recreation actor and he was released on a $200,000 bond on Monday. Just days ago, Tristan revealed that the whole incident had taken place at the site of their former home, which burned down earlier this year. In a Facebook post, he explained: "My husband Jonathan Joss and I were involved in a shooting while checking the mail at the site of our former home. That home was burned down after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire. We reported these threats to law enforcement multiple times and nothing was done. "Throughout that time we were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic. "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. 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. "Jonathan and I had no weapons. 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. "Jonathan is my husband. He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get. We were newlyweds. We picked Valentines Day. We were in the process of looking for a trailer and planning our future. "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. (sic)"
Yahoo
5 hours 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.
