HOUSTON (AP)
A Texas grand jury has indicted a man on murder charges for the killing of actor Jonathan Joss, known for his role in “King of the Hill.” However, it’s still uncertain if the murder will be classified as a hate crime. The San Antonio police did not immediately provide information about whether Joss’s sexual orientation influenced the incident, and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office has chosen not to comment.
According to police, on June 1, 57-year-old Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez confronted Joss and his husband while they were checking the mail at their home, which had been destroyed by fire in January. Joss’s husband, Tristan Khan de Gonzalez, alleged that the assailant shouted “violent homophobic slurs” before firing.
Ceja Alvarez’s attorney had not provided a comment as of Wednesday. Back in June, one of his lawyers, Alfonso Otero, asserted his client’s innocence and denied any homophobic remarks.
The grand jury delivered the indictment on Monday, and Ceja Alvarez remains free on a $200,000 bail. A friend of Joss mentioned that he and Ceja Alvarez were neighbors and had a history of disputes over several years.
Initially, the San Antonio police reported no evidence linking the shooting to Joss’s sexual orientation. However, Police Chief William McManus later revised that statement, saying it was “premature” to rule it out, as the investigation continues.
The district attorney announced that Ceja Alvarez “has been charged with murder, the most serious charge applicable to this crime under Texas law,” and because the case is still active, further details could not be released.
Under Texas law, if convicted, hate crimes could enhance the sentencing rather than stand as separate charges.
Joss was well-known for voicing the Native American character John Redcorn in the animated series “King of the Hill,” which ran for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2008. A reboot of the show, which Joss helped produce, premiered in August. He also had a recurring role as Chief Ken Hotate on “Parks and Recreation” and appeared in two episodes of “Tulsa King” in 2022.
