Investigators are probing whether the shooting death of Jonathan Joss, the voice actor for King of the Hill, in Texas was influenced by his sexual orientation, authorities stated on Thursday, retracting a previous claim about the possible motive.
According to Joss’s spouse, the individual who shot the actor shouted “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire outside their residence in San Antonio on Sunday evening. A day after the incident, the San Antonio police released a statement indicating that there was “no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Mr. Joss’ killing was linked to his sexual orientation.”
However, during a press briefing on Thursday, San Antonio police Chief William McManus admitted that the earlier statement was premature and that the role of Joss’s sexual orientation in the shooting is now part of the ongoing investigation.
McManus stated, “I will take responsibility and reiterate that we should not have made that statement. It was too early in the process for such a declaration to be issued.”
The police chief acknowledged that many individuals in the 2SLGBTQ+ community are feeling uneasy and apprehensive following Joss’s shooting, attributing much of this distress to the premature statement.
“The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic, especially impacting the LGBTQ+ community,” McManus emphasized.
Texas does not have specific hate crimes legislation. However, if homophobia is determined to be a motive in the shooting, it could lead to a tougher sentence during the trial under the state’s hate crimes statute.
“We gather the facts and present them to the district attorney’s office. The hate crime designation is then decided during sentencing,” McManus clarified.
Joss’s partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, mentioned that they had previously encountered harassment, much of which was openly homophobic. Their home was destroyed by a fire in January, and the fatal shooting occurred while they were checking the mail.
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, a neighbor of Joss, has been charged with murder in connection to the shooting and has been released on a $200,000 US bond.
Ceja Alvarez’s attorney, Alfonso Otero, did not respond to an email seeking comment on Thursday.
McManus disclosed that the police had been called to Joss’s home and neighborhood approximately 70 times over the past two years due to various disturbances. The San Antonio Police Department’s mental health unit and the SAFFE unit had engaged extensively with Joss to mediate conflicts and provide necessary services.
The case of the January home fire that claimed Joss’s possessions and the lives of his three dogs is still under arson investigation.
Colleagues, friends, and fans have paid tribute to Joss, known for voicing John Redcorn in King of the Hill. The show’s creators and producers expressed their condolences and highlighted his significant contribution to the animated series, with a revival featuring his voice slated to air later this summer.
