King of the Hill actor Jonathan Joss is shot dead in Texas during an argument

According to his husband’s posts on social media, these neighbors had subjected them to homophobic harassment and threats to burn down their home before now. And when they returned to find the skull of their dog out in plain view and started to cry, the neighbor came and killed Jonathan. His husband said he blocked the shot and saved his life.

What do you fucking do about a community like that? These people don’t exist in isolation. It’s scary as fuck and a heartbreaking way to start pride month.

and yet I have people telling me I'm overreacting when I say we're sleepwalking into the next holocaust in this country, only instead of Jews it will be hispanics, trans people, gay people, and autistic people made out to be subhumans to be purged.
The Nazis didn't start with gas chambers, first they had to rile the population up to hate Jews all on their own -- or to regard the disabled as "parasites". Meanwhile in the present, we have politicians calling gay and trans people "groomers" and brainworms jackass calling autistic people, essentially, hopeless.
get ready, this sort of thing is only going to get more common. And if it doesn't happen quickly enough, it's entirely likely the ~~brownshirts~~ MAGAts will "help it along".
- Pretty sure it started with trans and gay folks last time too.
- There is a powerful key difference nowadays, two if you broke it down into its component parts:
  Information is much, MUCH easier to come by and because of that while hate and intolerance continues to be widespread you also see a larger number of at least partially informed people on average.
  Hitler got most of Germany to at least openly state they were on his side in some form. The U.S. is a rather large country and hugely diverse and growing more sharply outspoken by people who were once quiet, on both sides.
  I also know that Trump doesn't have the charisma of Hitler and we are not a Nation still reeling from the economic effects of a World War.
  However, that is not to say this won't get worse. It just won't be a blanket with pockets of resistance. More likely entire States will stand, as many already are. I just hope we the people decide to unite and do what we must before it gets worse.
- You need to learn to learn to utilize and love your 2nd amendment rights if you are a potential target.
  Especially in a place where there are stand your ground laws or castle doctrines
- There's plenty of MAGA that would love the chance to murder people.
- This is horrific but now extraordinary. People, not just in Texas live in a constant state of anger and fear and snap at the slightest excuse.
  Normal people killed by these assholes are not going to survive and take back their rights by being the bigger person, or having a discourse, or the truth. We are pass that. Get guns. Lots of them and learn to use them.
  If this hating neighbor knew the couple had a Mosberg Shockwave behind the door he would have acted right. These fucking bullies are beyond reasoning. Stand up to them.
- https://unreadpoetssociety.com/2022/12/11/first-they-came-poem-by-martin-niemoller-poem-meaning-summary-and-poem-analysis/
Killing a guy because you don't agree with who he loves is fucking disgusting.
Land of the free my ass.
- 'Cept pedos. The real pedos, not the ones these people call everyone that are not like them.
They had burned their home down already. This wasn't an argument. They were confronted and cut down upon their return. No argument was occurring but that's how it's described in headlines.
https://variety.com/2025/tv/obituaries-people-news/jonathan-joss-dead-king-of-the-hill-shooting-1236415703/
- This is what every news article about an assault or murder of a queer person used to be like in the 00s and earlier. Then after the local queer community spends ages protesting (if there was one, and who knows how many murders flew under the radar this way) maybe someone eventually gets a slap on the wrist charge.
  Maybe they’ll update these stories soon, but it’s not a great sign when they’re not even discussing the husband’s account. (The other stories, not the one you linked)
- Yeah, this really sounds like premeditation to me. Kill their dog and present the head and collar to lure them outside, then shoot both men dead. If it's not clear premeditation I don't know what is.
  And now we get to see whether the Gay Panic defense works this time, I'm sure.
- The "argument":
  "We would like to exist unmolested."
  "I disagree."
What do you fucking do about a community like that?
Fucking hell. What can anyone even do if the police and local media is pretty much in on it. He was basically lynched.
The idea of this being an argument lays the foundation for a stand your ground defence for the murderer, one would assume.
So you're saying a Trump pardon is in the pipeline?
- Abbott, not trump, but yes I wouldn't be surprised. He's pardoned murderers who agree with him before
The homophobic murder is absolutely horrific, but there is something about the dog skull that says “this is a next level psycho.”
- Nah, that's premeditation IMO. The dog skull provides provocation to draw both men into the open, giving you a clear line to fire.
  This sure sounds like second degree murder to me.
What do you fucking do about a community like that
I'm not allowed to tell you directly on .world, but turnabout is fair play.
What do you fucking do about a community like that?
http://www.fox4news.com/news/neighborhood-rallies-after-carrollton-couples-gay-pride-flag-burned.amp
Organize. Stand up. Show yourself. Make them be the ones on the outside.
- Train.
What do you fucking do about a community like that?
Cops doing nothing like always is just going to force vigilantism. I don’t get how they’re too stupid to see that.
- And then they can legally paint us as criminals. That's kinda their plan, I don't get how you don't see that.
If you happen to be in a minority that is targeted by american conservatives, you take it as a sign that it's time to arm yourselves.

Statement from Tristan Kern de Gonzales
Husband of Jonathan Joss

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 Valentines 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.
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.
Tristan Kern de Gonzales

From Jonathan Joss’s Facebook post

The article title is really fucked up for making it seem like it was both sides arguing and it boiling over.
- That’s what they do. Our media absolutely covers for hate crimes right now.
  I sent an email to their complaint department about the headline. Not likely to do anything, but I’ll still be annoying.
- Corporate media is just misinformation and propaganda.
That is genuinely fucking horrifying.
- They're Republican.
- They're uneducated and are unable to process empathy, while also being fed a torrent of hateful propaganda
  Or like the other guy said, they're Republican
- What's wrong is that some people have decided that they're at war with the rest of us.
- Religion plays a big part.
- Conservative culture creates objectively worse human beings.
ACAB.
- Fuck the police
What a tragic story. Hope that fucking loser gets jailed for murder. There have to be consequences for behavior like this
His name is written like 10 times across the article, how could you still misspell it...
- Thanks, homie. Fixed it for you. I think I let autocorrect get the best of me.
His name is written like 10 times across the article, how could you still misspell it...
His name is written like 10 times across the article, how could you still misspell it...

Title is a lie. He was shot for crying over his dead dogs skull being placed near the mailbox of the recently burned down home they moved out of and shot by one of the homophobes who threatned to burn down said house who was also screaming slurs at him, while pushing his husband out of the path of the gun, saving his life. This was ALL preventable but the police force there allowed it to happen despite multiple years of reports.

Jonathan Joss' widower says shooting was a homophobic attack
- I feel bad for any progressives living in conservative neighborhoods (street city or state)
If I lived in America and was LGBTQ I'd be buying a gun right now, and this comes from someone who has always been anti-gun
- If i lived in america i'd sell my gun to get out of that shithole as soon as possible.
- A gun doesn't save you if you don't know they have one until they shoot first.
- That's what I'm telling all my LGBTQ friends in the US who are not at risk of suicide. You can't afford to be neutral in an arms race, especially when the enforcers of possible gun bans are all buddies with the people that shouldn't have guns.
This was ALL preventable but the police force there allowed it to happen despite multiple years of reports.
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/no_human_involved
I bet you a million dollars the murderer believes himself a good Christian.
- No one is going to bet against you. Those are negative odds.
He was shot for crying over his dead dogs skull being placed near the mailbox of the recently burned down home they moved out of and shot by one of the homophobes
Seriously.. fuck the US, fuck that country, fuck it.
- I hate that I'm going to be visiting the US for an MRI soon (I didn't want to wait up to 9+ months, sadly). It's only 20 minutes away from the border but it's still too far into USA. Damn it all.

Read the story and be pissed by how any news outlet phrases it in any way other than "this man was murdered in a pre-meditated manner after prolonged harassment from psychotic neighbors who previously murdered their dog"

Rorschach was right about one thing, people like this shouldn't get to go to jail. Rabid Animals get put down.

Same. The headline is journalistic malpractice at best. Joss was murdered by a homophobic terrorist.
Like, I get you want to make sure information is true, but if a direct witness to the event said, "This was hate crime as fuck," you'd at least throw in an "allegedly" statement in there.....
Absolutely an injustice in framing. Despicable.
I thought that as well, but then found that there were 60+ calls made to their home since 2023. Most of them were Joss acting erratically, usually confused and carrying weapons through the street, shooting guns on the property, yelling hysterically. There's definitely more to this and most folks in this thread are jumping the gun.
"The shooting was the 47th call SAPD had responded to at the property to since Jan. 1, 2024, according to SAPD’s PIO. Prior police reports included accusations of Joss being an aggressor against his alleged shooter. But apart from a detainment, neither man faced serious legal consequences in the months leading to the shooting.
Joss was detained June 8, 2024, due to an active warrant for criminal mischief brought upon by complaints from Ceja. Earlier that day, Ceja called SAPD to report Joss was walking outside with a crossbow while name calling and yelling racial slurs at him. Ceja also detailed that there were repeated instances of Joss standing outside his property calling him names and telling him that “he is coming for him.”
Joss had a history with weapons, according to police reports. An SAPD information report collected at the property on July 9, 2024, stated that Joss had been reported for causing disturbances with a gun in the past and had his guns confiscated by officers. While entering Joss' vacant home on the information report with an administrative warrant, SAPD found a crossbow with an arrow chambered, which could not be disengaged due to a malfunctioning safety. SAPD took the crossbow and placed it in a patrol car."
- And you've got a source for those claims? Your bunghole?

Giving some attention to some sources that worded it better

'King Of The Hill' Star Shot Dead In Homophobic Attack, Partner Says
https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/king-kill-star-shot-dead-homophobic-attack-partner-says

'King of the Hill' Actor Killed
Husband Claims Homophobia Fueled Shooting Murder
https://www.tmz.com/2025/06/02/jonathan-joss-husband-tristan-kern-de-gonzales-shooting-statement/

Husband of slain ‘King of the Hill’ actor Jonathan Joss says neighbor was homophobic
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/06/02/jonathan-joss-king-of-the-hill-shot-killed-neighbor/

“He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men living each other,” Gonzales wrote in a Facebook post. “I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved.”
God damn :(

A homophobia-fueled pre-meditated murder is not simply a "disagreement."

For those that are wondering, he voiced John Redcorn.

A homophobia-fueled pre-meditated murder is not simply a “disagreement.”
All amerikkkan media is owned by the fascists/bigots/rascists/kkk/oligarchs
- The Independent is from Britain
  But I agree the headline is weak

Too bad there had to be an argument or disagreement…

…about whether the victim(s) crying over their dead dog in front of their burned down house deserved to live?

I wonder what the chances are that the fire, the dog skull, and the murder were all the same shithead.

I wonder what the chances are that the fire, the dog skull, and the murder were all the same shithead.
Very high. And he's probably buddies with the homophobic cops who dismissed years of reports of the threats to do those three things. And the same cops who have already "determined" that there was no hate crime.
Although I don't think those cops have realized yet that he was on other popular shows like Parks and Rec as well. And famous people are speaking out. Meaning there will be a lot more scrutiny and they can't just shrug and sweep it under the rug this time.
- Some of those who burn crosses, hold office.
  I hate this stupid fucking bigoted ass country.
- Joss was a gay native man. Hell I could stop at native and the cops would already be looking to do anything other than help.
I'm now seeing firsthand why folks across the pond keep making snarky comments about The Independent being a Tory tag...

"Argument" ≠ hate crime

Lawless Texas gun nuts kill again.

I really despise the usage of 'Argument' here in the title. It does not do the situation justice. As far as i'm aware this wasn't an Argument. it was entirely one sided. The perpetrator just walked up and started being homophobic before shooting him. It was a murder and to call it anything less is just being dishonest.

This was after someone set his house on fire, which killed his 3 dogs. And then someone took one of the skulls and a leash and set it up where they'd be seen. So when Joss and his husband came back and were mourning, THEN his neighbor came out and started shouting slurs at them while waiving a fun around.
But no this was an argument between two equally at fault rational people. Definitely not a homophobic hate crime on the first day of pride month.
- From what I can tell, this region is notorious for gangstalking, especially against gay men. Many of these reports could likely be falsified to justify the idea of killing him.
  I don't see any inconsistency about the fire if the article itself says that the cause is under investigation. Joss believed it's possible he made a mistake, but it seems more likely to be caused by the same people that threatened arson, and possibly the same people that murdered him.
- Thank you for this write up. I had been trying to put this into words for the past couple of days myself.
  Additionally, Jonathan had shown up at a king of the hill panel he wasn’t part of and tried to speak, then was setting up a shoe shine booth outside of the venue? While in Austin he also did a podcast in which he was clearly inebriated and then was asking for rides home on Facebook.
  While none of this excuses someone murdering him in any way, all of these things together definitely give me pause and lead me to not necessarily taking the husbands post at face value. I have addicts in my family and it just seems too familiar.

An argument.

The actor was reportedly shot multiple times over the weekend after a disagreement with a neighbor,

"Ahh gee hahaha just a small little kerfuffle happened, then someone involved in lost their temper and shot the other big sad wow carpe diem or something. No further looking into the situation required, just personal dispute Texas amiright lol."

I remember that one video where some i think uber driver was losing his shit and his hand was on the middle console the whole time. Then he got cut off or something and he grabbed his gun and shot his own windshield like 6 times without even looking.
When i saw that shit i thought that is the most insane thing ever. Then i saw the reddit comments who went from: what a crazu asshole to: well you don't know what provocated the whole situation, i think everyone ahould defent themselves. The fact that this guy didn't go straight to the hellhole they call jail or just shot in a back alley was crazy to me.

Weak ass title for a planned murder, hate crime, with animal cruelty.

Texas is now Iran.

🌍🧑‍🚀🔫🧑‍🚀
at least Iran was a modern and civil place before US meddling. don't know if there was ever a time to say the same for Texas.
- Yup. Texas, OTOH, seceded from Mexico because Mexico outlawed slavery and Texas had a problem with that, and the US was like, "Come on in, brother."
  It's funny how they never tell you why Texas declared independence in school...
- Dam dog that one hits hard. Iran WAS better at some point. Wtf Texas.
Texas is a dumpster fire with barbecue.
- Open pit is not barbecue.
What are we, a bunch of ASIANS?!

Loved him in Parks and Rec too.

This is sad and awful.

Never realized it was the same guy, I never really thought about who voiced John red corn before
- I didn't either until I saw his picture

Reading the story and I’m fucking mortified. Fuck America and their love for hate. The rise of American Christianity and white nationalism has justified being scum of the earth. These people deserve the fucking worst treatment imaginable. Fuck off.

The wiki article on his death says that the San Antonio PD is saying that there was no evidence of hate crime up to that point, but if this was ongoing for literal years over 300+ incidents, i find that hard to believe. They need an outside-led investigation into that county PD.

Is it sad that my first suspicion is that it simply doesn't meet the local legal definition of a hate crime because the laws are probably written to protect white people only?
- Actually that was one of the few wins in the civil rights movement. But there are always forces who will use it against us.

That's a weird spelling of "hate-crime".

It's not a hate crime if he's just beefing with his neighbor.
If his neighbor shot him just for being native and no other reason then it would be a hate crime.
Having said that his neighbor really hated him.
- He was openly gay. His home had been burned down. His pet had been killed and put on display. Pretty easy to hop over to hate crime with that info.
- Did you even read the story?

His death was so brutal. I hope people in San Antonio schedule a pride march in the voice actors neighborhood.

Also, I really think there should be a neighborhood watch or civilian guard force where lgtbq populace can ask for help or support when they're being harassed. Like a civilian neighborhood watch app.

- There was no argument, he was crying at the display of his dogs skull the murderer made before he pulled up and shot him in cold blood.

I got a three day ban on Reddit after saying something about ‘human blenderizing’ the dude who did this.

It’s not even a real word, nor even an actual real object. I fucking hate Reddit. I wish Lemmy had more traffic.

RIP 🪦 We will miss you.

This post has ~800 upvotes and ~150 comments. Lemme is doing great. It would be nice if the smaller communities were bigger, but there was a point on Reddit probably around 2015ish where it became too many people. I am enjoying this way more. Making a comment doesn't feel like shouting into a crowd of shouting people the way that Reddit does. There is actual conversation.
- It's doing "great" but there is a massive gap in diversity and breadth of topics/subs here unfortunately. Obviously it gets better over time in theory but right now the majority of content exists over there.. sadly.
Lemmy has plenty. It needs some polish but I've never looked back after the day I got rid of Reddit.
Reddit indeed is pure shit.
Just for suggesting someone make a 3d model? Harsh
You read the part about the dog's skull, and well, you hope that the blenderizing happens slowly.
Guess how they make pet food? Industrial blenders you can toss a horse into.
Next time try frog in a blender.

Live in the area and currently in the process of getting out due to things like this. Wouldn’t be shocked at all if Abbott pardoned the killer.

Pardoned? That would imply a persecution first. I highly doubt probation will even be doled out.

Damn! Fucking America with every lunatic having access to guns.

RIP Jonathan Joss

But my freedom. What freedom? Gun

If someone burned down that racists home. I would donate to their court case if they were caught.

Maybe go for the whole neighborhood, sounds like it was a group effort.
How do you know he was racist?
- Because he was known to verbally assault the gay couple with slurs.
- Because someone on the internet is asking why/how a racist thing is racist. That's a clear indication of racists.

This only applies if you're white. If you're brown while protecting yourself legally armed and the police show up you die
- If you're brown and nearby when some white folk get into it, you have a very high chance of "fitting a description" and either being arrested anyway or shot "while reaching for a gun" when you put your hands in the air.
- That's part of why I left. I'm a neurodivergent trans Latina in an obviously gay relationship. If I try to defend myself I'm gonna die one way or the other, assuming the lack of healthcare doesn't kill me first

argument? the dude was being threated for MONTHS.

Damn.

Dale, Luanne, Lucky and now John Redcorn.

This wasn't even the first John Redcorn they've lost. Seems like there's been tragedy through the show's entire run
- You try to redeem Texas and Texas says no we really are that bad
  I had a trans friend down there and I lost touch with her years ago when our IRC community fell apart. Miss ya Mel

And this happened less than 3 days after everyone was pumped to see him back in the King of the Hill reboot. https://youtu.be/R189-YSWvsY

Fuck the absolute psychopath that took this man’s life.

It took me a while to connect that his death was this incident. The media portrayed two different stories.
"John redcorn voice actor dead"
"Gay man killed in argument"
If I was Mike Judge, I'd pull the whole revival and then just re-edit all the footage into a 20-episode long tribute to Johnathan Joss.

A GoFundMe was set up months ago and is still accepting donations.

how long before this fucked up administration treats that psychopath as a hero. Jesus Christ

GoFundMe is already set up, probably.
GoFundMe is already set up, probably.
GoFundMe is already set up, probably.

We live in a society where this happens and it's just one of those things. People shouldn't be used to this.

The only good Republican is a dead Republican.

Regressives, Call them degraded regressives.
- Then nobody will know who you’re talking about if they aren’t terminally online.

Texas has made noises about secession in the past, they still seem to think they're exceptional in some way. But here's where I'm at, if this relationship isn't working, why are we waiting for them to leave? We should just dump them. "It's not me, it's you. Just leave the key, don't forget your toothbrush".

Seriously though, we should just drop some states from the union.

On that note, what has Alabama done for me lately?

Secession, the other word means following someone in a role
- Thanks!
  I'd blame autocorrect, but blaming my own carelessness would be more honest ;-)

How FUCKED UP in the head do you have to be to do something like this.

What the actual FUCK.

In the US it is, now. You can thank the Republicans and Democrats for thst., all vile self serving assholes that made the country into the hellhole that it is today
- Munitions stores are now stocking bullets forged from Enlightened Bothsidesism.
- Right, because guns weren't used to settle disputes in America until very recent history. /s
- In the 19th century civilians could own canons which were peak military technology at the time.
Person 1: I am going to use violence on you. Person 2: I don't want you to use violence on me.
I'd say only one party is around to dispute that claim.

You can find stupid people in every part of the world. Allowing every idiot to have a firearm is only possible in a country that is run by gun dealers.

And then they say "GuNs DoN't KilLPeOpLe".
It's true you can kill people without a gun, just as you can pound a nail into a wall without a hammer. But it's a lot harder.

This makes me very sad.

Probably perpetrated by some dumb straight Christians.

But the reporting on this will focus more on the fact that the victim was ingenious and/or gay, than what's going on with the shooter.

But we get headlines like "trans person sentenced to (insert punishment) for (insert random crime)" or something similar whenever anyone from the LGBTQ+ community acts out.

You'll never see "straight man shoots a person because the shooter was a dick" or anything similar.

Fucking double standards.

Whenever i see gun issues in the US i always like to post these videos. It's easy to say muricans are retarded, everybody knows guns are the problem but it's not that simple.
part 1: basics of a firearm
part 2: on gun laws
part 3: law-abiding citizens

I'm not clicking your manifesto
- Worse, theyre YouTube links.
- I won't lose sleep over it.
  FYI it's neither mine nor a manifesto.
Its amazing that American vomits its culture onto everyone else, yet so little is understood by so many.
Damn I went in prepared to argue and instead the man has glorious respectful valid arguments, knowledge and tact? Even ethical moral wisdom?? Color me surprised. It was wild, thanks. I don't agree that semi automatic guns should be this abundant since I dislike systematically slaying children, but it really is a breath of fresh air to hear not only rational thoughts but actual opinions, truths.. There was a long time since I had any notion of that from someone that has different opinions on any topic coopted by the cultists. It feels emotional even, like an old friend returning that you didn't realise you missed. God bless.

What the hell?

This is something mentally ill people do. Racism alone doesn't account for mounting their dead dogs heads, burning down their home and then killing them.

I remember one time I got into a fight (that I didn't start) and was so scared that I was ready to kill him in case they had a gun. I snapped out of it. But it still bothers me to think about.

God bless gun rights