Jonathan Joss, the beloved Native actor and musician known for voicing John Redcorn on King of the Hill and portraying Chief Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation, was tragically shot and killed on June 1, 2025, outside his home in San Antonio. He was 59 years old.
The suspect, 56-year-old neighbor Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, admitted to the shooting of Jonathan Joss and has been charged with first-degree murder. He is currently under house arrest after posting a $200,000 bond.
According to Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, the shooting was the culmination of long-standing harassment by Alvarez, including the use of slurs during the fatal confrontation. Alvarez had reportedly engaged in repeated verbal attacks, which Joss and Kern de Gonzales believed to be motivated by bias toward their LGBTQIA+ identities.
In the immediate aftermath of the killing, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus stated that there was “no indication” that the murder was a hate crime. That statement sparked concern and backlash from the LGBTQIA+ and Native communities, who saw it as premature and dismissive of key allegations.
Today, Chief McManus formally retracted his earlier statement, admitting it was “way too soon” and that he should not have been made it. He confirmed that SAPD is now “taking a fresh look at everything,” and the possibility of hate crime charges is being actively re-evaluated.
Earlier this year, Joss and Kern de Gonzales experienced another traumatic event when their home was destroyed in a fire that killed their two dogs. Joss suspected someone intentionally set the fire due to his sexual orientation. That incident, too, remains under investigation.
On May 30, just two days before his death, Joss attended the ATX TV Festival in Austin. Though King of the Hill was featured, Joss had not been invited to participate in the panel. He interrupted the event from the audience to express frustration over feeling excluded from a show and industry he had helped shape, as well as bringing awareness to harassment that he had been facing and his home burning down. His emotional plea, witnesses say, was dismissed by panelists before he was escorted out.
Joss’s death has sparked outrage and grief from both the Indigenous, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQIA+ communities. His work resonated across generations as his roles in King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation were some of the first mainstream and contemporary representations of Native people. His husband has promised to continue fighting for accountability and justice, stating, “I won’t stop fighting for what I know is right and for my love.”
In response to public outcry, SAPD has announced plans to host a community forum addressing LGBTQIA+ safety during Pride Month. A vigil hosted by the Pride Center San Antonio is also scheduled to take place on June 8, 2025 at Crocket Park from 7pm-9pm.
Jonathan Joss’s legacy as an entertainer and trailblazer endures. His tragic death underscores the urgent need to protect and uplift Indigenous, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQIA+ lives, not just in words, but through action and accountability in a time when those lives are being specifically targeted for violence.
