Jonathan Joss‘ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, claims that the King of the Hill actor was the victim of a homophobic attack. Joss died on June 1 in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 59, after he was fatally shot.
Kern de Gonzales wrote on Joss’ Facebook page on June 2, “My husband Jonathan Joss and I were involved in a shooting while checking the mail at the site of our former home. That home was burned down after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire. We reported these threats to law enforcement multiple times, and nothing was done.
“Throughout that time, we were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic. When we returned to the site to check our mail, we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view. This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. While we were doing this, a man approached us. He started yelling violent, homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired.”
“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. Jonathan is my husband. He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get. We were newlyweds. We picked Valentine’s Day. We were in the process of looking for a trailer and planning our future. He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other,” he finished.
“I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved. To everyone who supported him, his fans, his friends, know that he valued you deeply. He saw you as family. My focus now is on protecting Jonathan’s legacy and honoring the life we built together. If your concern is how someone coped with trauma or how loudly they speak when recounting injustice and being ignored by authorities then you never truly cared about my husband. Jonathan saved my life. I will carry that forward. I will protect what he built.”
Kern de Gonzales and Joss married on February 14, 2025.
A neighbor, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, was a suspect in the shooting and was arrested shortly after, according to The New York Post. Medics attempted life-saving measures on Joss, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation into his death is still ongoing.
Joss was known for playing Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation and voicing John Redcorn on King of the Hill from Seasons 2 to 13. He also recorded lines for the upcoming Hulu revival, which is set to premiere on August 4. Joss had taken over the role of John Redcorn from the original voice star Victor Aaron, who died in 1996.
Joss’s other television credits include roles in Ray Donovan, Friday Night Lights, Tulsa King, ER, Charmed, Walker, Texas Ranger, In Plain Sight, and The League. His film credits include The Magnificent Seven and True Grit.