Actor Jonathan Joss, best known for voicing John Redcorn in “King of the Hill” and portraying Chief Ken Hotate in “Parks and Recreation,” has been shot and killed in what his husband describes as a homophobic hate crime.
Joss, 59, was fatally shot while visiting the site of his former home in San Antonio, which had previously been destroyed in a fire. His husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, claimed the couple was confronted by a man who “started yelling violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Gonzales described the events leading up to the shooting. He said they had returned to the site to collect mail when they discovered the remains of one of their dogs.
“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,” he wrote.
Gonzales continued: “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.”
San Antonio police confirmed that a suspect, identified as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. However, they stated that current evidence does not support the claim that the shooting was a hate crime.
“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,” police said in a statement.
“Investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. Should any new evidence come to light, the suspect will be charged accordingly.”
Gonzales also paid tribute to his husband, saying Joss “gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get.” The couple had married on Valentine’s Day and were in the process of looking for a trailer to live in.
“I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved,” he wrote.
Tributes from the entertainment industry poured in following news of Joss’s death. “Parks and Recreation” actor Nick Offerman told People, “The cast has been texting together about it all day and we’re just heartbroken.
“Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy.”
“King of the Hill” creators Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin Patterson also released a joint statement, saying, “Jonathan Joss 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.”
Joss was last seen in public at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, where he attended a “King of the Hill” panel. In April, he posted on Facebook expressing disappointment over not being included as a speaker.
“This show was a part of my life for many years,” he wrote.
“That character, that voice, that story… they were my home, my pride, my connection to something bigger than myself. To not be invited felt like being shut out of a place I helped build.”
Originally created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels in 1997, “King of the Hill” ran for more than 250 episodes and is currently being revived. The new season is set to premiere on Hulu on August 4.
