HOUSTON (AP) ā While it remains unclear what prompted the , a Native American voice actor best known for his work on the animated television series āKing of the Hill,ā police say they are looking into whether his sexual orientation played a role in his death.
Jossā husband has claimed the person who killed the actor yelled āviolent homophobic slursā before opening fire.
Initially, San Antonio police said they found āno evidence whatsoever to indicate that Mr. Jossā murder was related to his sexual orientation.ā
But on Thursday, San Antonio Police Chief , saying it had been made prematurely and whether Jossā sexual orientation played a role in the shooting āis part of the investigation.ā
Since Jossā killing, friends, actors Joss worked with and fans have honored the actorās memory with tributes and fond remembrances.
Hereās what to know about Joss, his career and his shooting:
Who was Joss?
Joss, 59, grew up in San Antonio and graduated from the communications and theater program at Our Lady of the Lake University in 1990.
Joss was best known as the voice of John Redcorn, a Native American character on the popular āKing of the Hillā animated series, which ran for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2008. A reboot of the show, which Joss had already worked on, is set to start in August.
Joss also had a recurring role on the television show āParks and Recreation,ā playing Chief Ken Hotate. He appeared in two episodes of the series āTulsa Kingā in 2022.
What was happening with Joss in the months before his death?
Joss' childhood home, where he still lived, burned down in January. He lost all his belongings, and his three dogs were killed in the blaze. A GoFundMe account had been set up to help Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, get back on their feet.
āWe may have lost our home, but not our hope. Weāre moving forward with love, humor, and a little elbow grease ā¦ and weāre incredibly grateful for every ounce of support,ā Joss said in a May 14 Facebook post in which he indicated he was in Los Angeles looking for a new home.
By the end of May, Joss was back in Texas, and on Saturday, he took part in a live music performance in Austin, located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio.
Who is accused of fatally shooting Joss?
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, is accused by police of confronting Joss and his husband as they were checking their mail at the burned-down home Sunday night.
In a statement, de Gonzales alleged that when Ceja Alvarez opened fire, Joss pushed his husband out of the way and saved his life.
Ceja Alvarez was charged with murder. He is free on a $200,000 bond.
Ceja Alvarezās attorney, Alfonso Otero, has not returned multiple calls or emails seeking comment.
Robert Rios, a friend of Jossā, that Joss and Ceja Alvarez were neighbors and the two had argued for years.
McManus said police had been called to Jossā home and his neighborhood about 70 times over the past two years related to āneighborhood type disturbances" and that sometimes Joss made those calls and other times neighbors had called to report Joss.
How is Joss being remembered by friends, actors?
Actor Chris Pratt, who worked with Joss on āParks and Recreation,ā fondly remembered the actor in an Instagram story on Monday. Both actors had also appeared in the 2016 remake of āThe Magnificent Seven.ā
āDamn. RIP Jonathan. Always such a kind dude,ā Pratt wrote. āSad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones.ā
In a Facebook post, San Antonio-based Our Lady of the Lake University, Jossā alma mater, called him āa trailblazer in his field. His work and advocacy have left a lasting impact, and his legacy will continue to inspire.ā
āHis voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathanās friends and family,ā the showās creators and producers ā Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Saladin Patterson ā said in a statement on the animated seriesā Instagram page.
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Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press
