The San Antonio Express News reports that Jonathan Joss, an actor who appeared in videogames including Red Dead Redemption, Days Gone, Wasteland 3, and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as the long-running King of the Hill animated series, was killed over the weekend in an apparent dispute with a neighbor. He was 59.
Police say Joss was shot “several times” by his neighbor after the two became embroiled in some sort of confrontation near the site of Joss’ former home, which burned down in January. Emergency medical services pronounced Joss dead at the scene. The suspected shooter, identified by police as Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, fled by car but was arrested nearby.
While police have not yet provided a possible motive for the killing, Joss’ husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales released a statement claiming the shooting was a homophobic hate crime, and part of an ongoing harassment campaign against them.
“My husband Jonathan Joss and I were involved in a shooting while checking the mail at the site of our former home,” de Gonzales wrote. “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. 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.”
De Gonzales said someone had placed the skull of one of the dogs killed in the house fire, as well as its harness, “in clear view” at the site, which caused them “severe emotional distress.”
“We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. While we were doing this a man approached us. 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.”
(Image credit: Tristan Kern de Gonzales (Facebook))
Contrary to de Gonzales’ implication that neighbors may have played a role in starting the fire, Joss said at the time that he and de Gonzales had ignited a barbecue grill inside the house for heat, because they did not have gas or electricity. He said they were certain they’d put the grill out when they left for lunch but nonetheless apparently accepted responsibility for the fire, which completely destroyed the uninsured house and its contents.
However, Joss also said that at least one of his neighbors had laughed at him when he emerged from his burned house carrying one of his dogs, who was killed in the fire.
Joss was best known for providing the voice of John Redcorn in 34 episodes across 13 seasons of King of the Hill, but he appeared in numerous other shows and films including Tulsa King, Ray Donovan, Parks and Recreation, Friday Night Lights, ER, and Charmed. He recently recorded lines for a King of the Hill premiering on Hulu this August.
Joss didn’t appear in many games, but he had a pretty good talent for picking winners. His first credited role on Mobygames was in the 1996 FMV game Sante Fe Mysteries: The Elk Moon Murder and its 1997 sequel Sante Fe Mysteries: Sacred Ground, after which came the King of the Hill game in 2000. It took another 10 years for his next videogame appearance, in Red Dead Redemption; he followed that up with roles in Dirty Bomb, The Walking Dead: Michonne, Days Gone, Wasteland 3, and Cyberpunk 2077: The Phantom Liberty.
