Texas Man Indicted For Homicide In Taking pictures Of ‘King Of The Hill’ Star
A Texas man has been indicted for murder a little more than six months after the shooting death of Jonathan Joss, an actor best known for providing the voice of John Redcorn in the animated comedy classic “King Of The Hill.”
Joss, 59, was shot and killed in San Antonio Texas this past June. The native Texan was pronounced dead on the scene by local paramedics who attempted to revive Joss but could not resuscitate him.
The suspect at the time was identified as a neighbor of the veteran actor. On Monday, a Texas grand jury returned a murder indictment against Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 57, a neighbor of Joss’.
It is unclear whether Ceja Alvarez will be facing hate crime charges, however, as prosecutors are still working to determine whether Joss’ sexual orientation played a role in the killing.
Joss speaks with local outlet KSAT after losing his home and two dogs in a devastating fire in January 2025
According to prosecutors, Ceja Alvarez confronted Joss and his husband as they were checking the mail at their San Antonio home, which had burned down just months earlier. According to Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, the assailant allegedly yelled “violent homophobic slurs” at the two men before opening fire.
Attorneys for the accused killer have argued that their client is innocent and did not utter the slurs in question. The grand jury returned the indictment Monday, and Ceja Alvarez remains free on a $200,000 bond.
According to eyewitnesses, Ceja Alvarez and Joss had been neighbors for years and had a documented history of heated arguments.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, San Antonio Police initially stated that they had no evidence to suggest that Joss’ sexual orientation played a role in the crime. But San Antonio Police Chief William McManus later walked back that statement, saying it had been “premature” and that whether a potential hate crime element played a role in the shooting was “part of the investigation.”
Hate crimes are addressed as enhancements that would be addressed at sentencing under Texas law.
The district attorney’s office said in a statement Wednesday that Ceja Alvarez “is charged with murder, which is the most serious charge applicable to this crime under Texas law. As the case is still pending, no additional details or information can be released at this time.”
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez’s mugshot.
Photo: Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
Joss was a mainstay on the Mike Judge-created animated comedy “King Of The Hill,” which aired from 1997 to 2008. A reboot of the critically-acclaimed show launched this past August with contributions from Joss.
The actor also landed roles in a number of Hollywood productions, including remakes of “True Grit” and “The Magnificent Seven.”
Additional television credits included “ER,” “Parks of Recreation” and “Tulsa King,” among several others. Joss also had a number of notable voice acting roles in popular video games, including “Red Dead Redemption” and “Cyberpunk: 2077.”