Jonathan Joss, the actor known for his roles in King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation, was shot dead by a neighbor on Sunday, June 1. Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, claims that the killing was fueled by homophobia. Police, however, say otherwise.
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According to Gonzales, he and Joss had visited the site of their former Texas home, which burned down back in February. According to him, this event was the continuation of two years filled with threats on behalf of the neighbors. As per Gonzales, these individuals had told them they would set their house on fire.
“Throughout that time we were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship,” Gonzales said in a Facebook post. “Much of the harassment was openly homophobic.”
Upon arrival on Sunday, June 1, the couple checked their mail and found the skull of one of their dogs alongside its harness. This heavily distressed both Jonathan Joss and Tristan Kern de Gonzales.
A man, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, allegedly approached the couple and started yelling “violent homophobic slurs” at them.
Ceja then allegedly raised a gun and fired at them. Gonzales stated that Joss pushed him out of the way, saving his life.
“He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,” Gonzales added.
Police Address The Allegations
The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), however, released a statement on social media, apparently dismissing the claim that the alleged murder had been a hate crime.
“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 SAPD wrote.
“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.”
The statement was met with heavy criticism given Gonzales’ social media post, which was made public hours before the SAPD’s.
MySanAntonio reports that officers had responded to Joss’s address at least 40 times since January 2024. These calls were connected to several types of disturbances, related to mental health issues and overall neighbor confrontations.
Many of Joss’s neighbors described him as “erratic,” saying that it was usual to see him screaming in the neighborhood. One neighbor even said that he “wasn’t a good neighbor.”
Reportedly, police did not respond to calls from February 2, 2025, to June 1.
Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He is currently being held on a $200,000 bond.