Actor Jonathan Joss killed in Texas shooting

Jonathan Joss, the Native American actor best known for voicing John Redcorn on King of the Hill and playing Chief Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation, has died at the age of 59 following a tragic shooting in San Antonio, Texas.

The incident occurred on June 1, 2025, near the site of Joss’s former home, which had been destroyed in a fire earlier this year.

He and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, had returned to visit the location when they were confronted by a neighbor, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja.

According to police and eyewitness accounts, Ceja allegedly shouted homophobic slurs before opening fire. Joss was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ceja has since been arrested and charged with murder. While the investigation is ongoing, Joss’s husband believes the attack was a hate crime, citing ongoing threats and harassment the couple had faced.

“Jonathan saved my life,” de Gonzales shared in a moving Facebook post, recounting the events of that horrific day.

Joss, of Comanche and White Mountain Apache heritage, was widely recognized not only for his distinctive roles in Hollywood but also for his advocacy of Indigenous representation in entertainment.

He assumed the role of John Redcorn after the original actor’s death and continued until the show’s conclusion. He had recently recorded new lines for the upcoming King of the Hill reboot, set to premiere in August 2025.

In addition to his voice and television work, Joss appeared in films like The Magnificent Seven and True Grit, and had also launched his own line of barbecue spices, humorously named “King of the Grill.”