Actor Jonathan Joss was killed by a gunshot at only 59 years old, and the police have not yet determined the suspect’s motive.
Joss’ partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, shared details about the tragic event that might suggest his husband’s death was the result of a hate crime.
Is Jonathan Joss’ Death the Cause of A Homophobic Attack?
King of the Hill’s Jonathan Joss was gunned down on Sunday night by a criminal who reportedly killed him because of his sexual orientation, according to his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales.
In a heartbreaking retelling of the scene, Gonzales shared the alleged hate crime on Facebook.
"My husband Jonathan Joss and I were involved in a shooting while checking the mail at the site of our former home."
He revealed that their former residence in South San Antonio had been burned down by the same people who had threatened to set it on fire. For years, Gonzales said they had reported these individuals to authorities, but to no avail.
"Throughout that time we were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship," he continued. "Much of the harassment was openly homophobic."
The Parks and Recreation actor’s husband also said they saw the skull of one of their dogs placed in an open area when they revisited their former property, an act meant to be seen by everyone.
"This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw." Gonzales stated that their cries prompted the killer, named Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, to walk over to them.
Before shooting at Jonathan, he had reportedly yelled hateful "homophobic slurs at him" and even cackled when he fired the shot. Gonzales mentioned that he died protecting him.
They had just tied the knot on Valentine’s Day this year, but Gonzales, who identifies as a transgender man, revealed in the post that they had allegedly received threats from their neighbors for years.
"He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other." He went on to express what he believed was the cause of his husband’s death.
The criminal is now facing first-degree murder charges, but the San Antonio police have yet to confirm whether this was indeed due to anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments, as there is no substantial evidence to indicate it.
Jonathan Joss’ Neighbors Debunk Theories about His Death Being the Result of a Hate Crime
Joss’ partner recently talked about his death with The Independent and revealed that the shooting was at close range.
Following the fatal gunshot to his head, Alvarez had allegedly pointed a gun at Gonzales and called him a Joto, which is apparently Spanish for f*****, suggesting that the incident was a homophobic attack.
Aside from being subjected to LGBTQIA+ discrimination, Gonzales mentioned that some of the neighbors' aggression came from the fact that he’s Native American, and they would yell "F***ng Indian" at him when they saw him singing and playing drums outside their home.
However, people living near Joss claim that his death doesn’t have anything to do with his relationship with Kern de Gonzales or his race.
They insist it was more about the famous voice actor frequently disrupting the peace in the neighborhood.
They say they often saw Joss "ranting and yelling" down the street, arguing with various people over anything. People would see him doing "erratic things" like carrying weapons while screaming, but sometimes "he could be really sweet."
One of their neighbors, who went by Gina, told KENS 5 that his feud with Alvarez had been going on for years, but the local police had done nothing to stop it.
"This man should be alive today, but nothing got done, you know," said Gina, who revealed they had alerted the authorities several times but were continuously ignored until the tragedy occurred.
Keep it locked on Epicstream for your best go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!