San Antonio police have retracted their assertion claiming there was no proof indicating that the deadly taking pictures of Jonathan Joss was a hate crime, saying their preliminary declaration was “premature.”
Joss, finest recognized for voicing John Redcorn on animated comedy King of the Hill, was shot useless outdoors his house in San Antonio on Sunday. His neighbour, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has since been arrested on a homicide cost.
In this handout photograph launched by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, suspect Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez poses for a reserving photograph on June 2, 2025 in San Antonio. He was booked on suspicion of homicide of Jonathan Joss, a voice actor on the tv present ‘King of the Hill.’.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office / Getty Images
The reason for demise was “injuries sustained after multiple gun shots,” police confirmed.
In an announcement the next day, San Antonio police mentioned that “despite online claims of this being a hate crime, currently the investigation has found no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation.”
The assertion brought about widespread anger and upset, significantly with Joss’ widower, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, who mentioned he believes his husband’s killing was due to his sexual orientation.
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“Jonathan Joss is my husband,” Kern de Gonzales mentioned in a TikTok publish. “I don’t say ‘was’ as a result of he’ll at all times be my husband. He will at all times be the love of my life.
Jonathan Joss’s reason for demise was from “injuries sustained after multiple gun shots.”
Jonathan Joss / Facebook
“I’m gonna hold speaking about not solely what occurred on the day of my husband’s demise, but additionally, we’re gonna share simply every part about Jonathan and every part that he stood for. We’re gonna snicker collectively. We’re gonna cry collectively. We’re gonna be indignant collectively.
“We gained’t cease speaking about this. I’m not going to let the SAPD or anybody else silence the truth that this was a hate crime, and I simply gained’t be silenced.
“I may not be as loud as my husband, but I carry his strength with me. I won’t stop fighting for what I know is right and for my love.”
On Thursday, Police Chief William P. McManus retracted the drive’s preliminary feedback.
“Shouldn’t have done it. [It] was way too soon before we had real information, and I will own that,” McManus mentioned in reference to creating the assertion. “It was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued.
“We understand that many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling anxious and concerned. A lot of it has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that. Shouldn’t have done it.”
In Texas, hate crimes will not be charged as a separate offence, however somewhat as an enhancement to the penalties for the underlying crime, McManus defined.
“We gather the facts and we give those facts to the district attorney’s office, and that hate crime designation is determined at sentencing, but we don’t charge hate crime.”
According to police information obtained by NBC, Joss and Kern de Gonzalez had encountered points with their neighbours earlier than the deadly taking pictures.
According to the outlet, Kern de Gonzalez says he and his husband have been bombarded with homophobic slurs from their neighbours, usually leading to calls to the police made each by Joss and others in his neighbourhood.
McManus mentioned on Thursday that previously two years, his division had acquired 70 calls involving neighbourhood spats.
The police chief mentioned the psychological well being unit had “extensive engagements with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to remediate conflicts and connect him with services he may have needed.”
The investigation into Joss’ demise is ongoing.
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