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The tragic murder of actor Jonathan Joss has sparked outrage, grief, and a fiery debate over whether his killing was a hate crime. According to People, Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzalez, insists that the shooting was driven by homophobia. The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) has said they uncovered "no evidence" that Joss' murder was connected to his sexuality.
Media personality Perez Hilton took to X on June 6, 2025, to voice his suspicions about the SAPD's report. Hilton wrote,
"They determined this so quickly! Seems sus!"
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Hilton also reported on the same on his blog in an article titled:
"Jonathan Joss Murder: Cops Say 'No Evidence' Parks & Rec Star's Death Was A Hate Crime -- Ignoring Husband's Claims?!"
He expressed his disapproval at Kern de Gonzalez's testimony being disregarded.
More about Jonathan Joss' murder
According to People, Jonathan Joss, best known for voicing John Redcorn on King of the Hill and playing Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation, was shot dead on June 1, 2025, outside his former home in San Antonio, which had burned down months before.
His husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, wrote an emotional post on Facebook about the moments leading up to the shooting. He said the couple had returned to the residence to get their mail when they stumbled upon their dog’s skeleton from the fire. Overwhelmed with sorrow, they began to cry when they were confronted by a neighbor who allegedly shouted homophobic slurs at them before opening fire.
Tristan Kern de Gonzales stated that Jonathan Joss shoved him out of the way, saving his life moments before being fatally shot. He also accused local authorities of disregarding years of harassment, threats to burn down their home, and disparaging remarks, which he said were reported numerous times.
"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. He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," Tristan wrote in his Facebook post.
Contrary to Kern de Gonzales’ testimony, SAPD announced that its own investigation discovered “no evidence” that Jonathan Joss’ killing was spurred by his sexual orientation. The department later softened its stance after facing a public outcry, and police chief William McManus said that the initial statement was “way, way, way premature” and apologized to the LGBTQ+ community.
“That was way, way, way, premature. We shouldn’t have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information. And I will own that. I want to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community for the tragic loss of Mr. Joss, which has been heavily felt," McManus stated.
Nonetheless, the man accused, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has thus far only been charged with first-degree murder and not a hate crime. Caja reportedly admitted to the shooting, but has not spoken publicly about a motive.
According to the BBC, Jonathan Joss most recently appeared in public on May 30, 2025, where he was present in the audience of a King of the Hill panel at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas. Joss had earlier posted on Facebook that he was especially insulted that he wasn’t invited to be on the panel. The show has been rebooted with the new season airing on Hulu from August 4, 2025.
