Police Deny Murder of Gay Actor Jonathan Joss Was Hate Crime
Image: Jonathan Joss / Facebook
Gay, Indigenous actor Jonathan Joss was shot dead outside his Texas house on June 1, but police aren’t treating the murder as a hate crime.
Joss was most well known for voicing John Redcorn in adult animation King of the Hill, and playing Ken Hotate in sitcom Parks and Recreation.
His husband, trans man Tristan Kern de Gonzales, wrote on Facebook that the pair had been collecting mail from their former house when the shooting occurred.
“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,” he wrote. “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.”
The couple discovered the skull and harness of one of their dogs that perished in the fire, which caused “severe emotional distress”.
“While we were doing this a man approached us,” Gonsales said. “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.”
In a statement, San Antonio police said officers attempted life-saving measures until Emergency Medical Services arrived, but Joss was pronounced dead at the scene.
Their neighbour, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has been charged with murder.
Gonzales said Joss was “murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other”.
San Antonio Express-News reported that the San Antonio Police Department had been called to the couples’ house 74 times since January.
In a seperate statement, police have said they currently have “no evidence” that the killing of Jonathan Joss was a hate crime.
“Currently, the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that the Mr Joss’s [death] was related to his sexual orientation,” a spokesperson said.
“SAPD 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.”
Joss remembered for warmth and generosity
Joss and Gonzales had been married on Valentine’s Day earlier this year.
“Jonathan is my husband,” Gonzales wrote. “He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get.
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.”
Creators of King of the Hill Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson said in a joint statement: “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.”
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America posted a statement to Facebook: “We are heartbroken by the killing of Jonathan Joss, who was shot by a neighbor spewing homophobic slurs on the first day of Pride Month. This tragedy underscores the deadly intersection of hate and easy access to guns—especially for the LGBTQ+ community.
“We must demand an end to the hateful rhetoric and harmful policies that fuel these attacks #DisarmHate in all its forms.”
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