Native American Actor Jonathan Joss Fatally Shot in San Antonio
Jonathan Joss, a prominent Native American actor best known for voicing John Redcorn on the long-running animated series King of the Hill, was shot and killed Sunday night in San Antonio, Texas. He was 59.
The tragic incident unfolded around 7 p.m. on the city’s south side, during what police described as a dispute with a neighbour. The alleged shooter, 56-year-old Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, was arrested shortly after and charged with murder. Authorities have yet to disclose specific details about what led to the altercation.
However, in a powerful and emotional Facebook post, Mr. Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, asserted that the shooting was fueled by anti-LGBTQ+ hatred. “He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us,” he wrote. “He then raised a gun from his lap and fired.” The couple, according to Kern de Gonzales, had returned to the site of their former home, which had burned down earlier this year, when the confrontation turned deadly.
Kern de Gonzales further claimed that the two had been targets of ongoing harassment by the same neighbour, and that multiple reports to authorities had gone unaddressed. “We had been harassed repeatedly for being gay,” he said, implying the attack was not random but rather the culmination of a disturbing pattern of abuse.
Despite the heartbreaking account, San Antonio police released a statement refuting that the killing was motivated by homophobia. “Our investigation has found no evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation,” a department spokesperson said. “We take such allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. Should any new evidence come to light, we will charge the suspect accordingly.”
When officers arrived, they found Mr. Joss lying near the street and attempted lifesaving measures. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The exact number of times he was shot has not been confirmed; the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet responded to media inquiries.
Mr. Joss, who was of Apache and Comanche heritage, had a three-decade-long career portraying Native American characters across television and film. In addition to his role as John Redcorn—featured in 34 episodes from 1997 to 2009—he was expected to reprise the character in Hulu’s upcoming King of the Hill revival, set to premiere in August, according to Variety.
He also played Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation, appearing in five episodes between 2011 and 2015. Other credits include Ray Donovan, Tulsa King, True Grit, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Friday Night Lights.
In January, Joss suffered another major loss when his San Antonio home, where he had lived for decades, was destroyed by fire. He also lost a dog in the blaze. At the time, he revealed to local station KSAT that the property had been vandalised, utilities were cut off, and he may have accidentally caused the fire by leaving something on. He also disclosed he was unemployed.
Following the fire, a local fan launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Joss recover. That campaign has seen a resurgence in donations following news of his death.
Details about Joss’s surviving family members have not been released. He grew up in San Antonio and earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Our Lady of the Lake University, which honoured him in a profile on its website.
