Actor Jonathan Joss from ‘Parks and Rec’ Dies at 59

Actor Jonathan Joss, known for his roles as Chief Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation and John Redcorn on King of the Hill, was fatally shot by a neighbor in San Antonio on Sunday night, according to police. He was 59. Investigators identified the suspect, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, who has been taken into custody and charged with murder.

In a Facebook statement, Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, detailed years of homophobic harassment in their neighborhood. He described checking mail at the site of their previously burned-down home when a man approached, yelling violent homophobic slurs before firing a gun. The incident occurred amid what Kern de Gonzales characterized as prolonged community hostility.

The actor’s death is now being investigated. Credit: Jonathon Joss via Facebook

Police, however, contested the hate crime characterization. “Our investigation has found no evidence that Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation,” a police spokesperson stated. “We will adjust charges if new evidence emerges.”

Paramedics pronounced Joss dead at the scene. “Jonathan and I had no weapons. We were not threatening anyone. We were grieving,” Kern de Gonzales wrote, emphasizing the traumatic nature of the incident.

Jonathon Joss was fatally shot over the weekend. Credit: NBC

Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman expressed the cast’s grief, calling Joss “such a sweet guy” and describing the shooting as “a terrible tragedy.” Joss, who voiced John Redcorn on King of the Hill from 1997 to 2009, was reportedly set to reprise the role in the show’s upcoming revival.

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