Fatal shooting of King of the Hill actor Jonathan Joss wasn’t hate crime because suspect’s brother is gay: lawyer
The lawyer for the man accused of killing King of the Hill actor Jonathan Joss maintains that the shooting was in self-defense and says it was not a hate crime because the suspect “has a brother who is gay.”
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, was arrested in connection with the murder of Joss, 59, who was fatally gunned down in front of his San Antonio home on June 1 in what his husband claims was a violent, anti-LGBT+ attack.
Initially, police said there was “no evidence” to indicate Joss’s death was related to his sexual orientation, but they have since opened an investigation into the motive.
“Freddy’s position is that he’s innocent. It’s difficult for anyone who’s been accused of something they didn’t do, especially murder,” attorney Nico LaHood told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.
Joss and his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, 23, were visiting their burned-down home to check the mail when Joss began screaming and crying over their dog’s burnt remains, leading to the deadly altercation, Kern de Gonzales claims.
Following Joss’s death, Kern de Gonzales wrote on social media that it was a hate crime, and later alleged to The Independent that Alvarez called him “foto,” the Spanish word for f*****, in the moments leading up to the shooting.
The suspect’s lawyer, however, vehemently denied Kern de Gonzales’ claims that the shooting was a hate crime.
“That’s not true at all. In fact, that’s what upset Freddy the most. It’s not a hate crime. Freddy has a brother who is gay,” LaHood said.
In addition to claiming Alvarez acted in self-defense, his lawyer said there were incidents leading up to the shooting, telling KSAT: “This has to do with a very long time of torment in that neighborhood.”
“This was leading up, unfortunately. And, as you know, people in Texas have a right not to be a victim. You have a right to self-defense. You have a right to the defense of third persons legally and under the law, and we believe that applies here,” LaHood said.
Alvarez confessed to the shooting, telling officers at the scene, “I shot him” before police confiscated his weapon.
Authorities are also investigating 70 calls to Joss’s former home, which was destroyed in a fire earlier this year.
“We have noted concern about the volume of calls to Mr. Joss’s residence. Over the past two years, we have received approximately 70 calls related to various neighborhood disturbances. Sometimes he would call. Other times, neighbors would call. Our security unit and mental health units worked closely with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to mediate the conflicts,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at the time.
Alvarez has not yet been indicted. But if he is eventually found guilty by a jury, he could face up to life in prison.
