The actor Jonathan Joss, best known for voicing John Redcorn in King of the Hill, has died in a shooting.
San Antonio police confirmed to Variety that the 59-year-old died on Saturday after an incident. Officers were reportedly dispatched while the shooting was in process and found him near the road. After an attempt to revive him, he was pronounced dead on the scene.
According to a police report, he died from “injuries sustained after multiple gun shots”.
The shooter, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has been detained and TMZ is reporting that it was the result of “a heated argument” with a neighbour.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Joss’s husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales wrote that he was “murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other”. He added: “Jonathan is my husband. He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get … I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved.”
In a subsequent statement, the San Antonio Police Department said they had “found no evidence” to link the shooting to Joss’ sexual orientation. “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,” they said.
In January, it had been reported that Joss had lost his home and his two dogs in a fire. He said that the house had been built by his father in the 1950s.
“We may have lost our home, but not our hope,” he wrote on Facebook earlier this year. “We’re moving forward with love, humor, and a little elbow grease…and we’re incredibly grateful for every ounce of support.”
Joss’s early career included an appearance in Walker, Texas Ranger before he landed the role of John Redcorn in Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ hit animated comedy King of the Hill. He was one of the key voices until the show ended after 13 seasons. A reboot is also set to air this year.
Other television roles included ER, Charmed, Friday Night Lights, Ray Donovan and a five-episode stint on Parks and Recreation. Nick Offerman, who starred in the long-running sitcom, released a statement to People. “The cast has been texting together about it all day and we’re just heartbroken,” Offerman wrote. “Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy.”
Chris Pratt also shared a tribute on Instagram. “Damn. RIP Jonathan,” he wrote on a story. “Always such a kind dude. He played Ken Hotate in Parks and was also in Mag 7. Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.”
On the big screen, Joss was also seen in True Grit, The Magnificent Seven and The Forever Purge.
He was also known as a musician, performing as part of The Red Corn Band, a reference to his most-known character. Joss had recently posted on Facebook about a performance over the weekend. “Last night’s gig was amazing – huge thanks to everyone who came out and showed us love!” he wrote. “We’re feeling so grateful for the support and good vibes.”
