'King of the Hill' voice actor allegedly shot dead by neighbor; tributes pour in: 'A terrible tragedy'
"King of the Hill" voice actor Jonathan Joss was shot dead in Texas following an argument with a neighbor, according to reports.
At around 7 p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting at a residence in San Antonio, according to WOAI-TV.
'He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other.'
Officers with the San Antonio Police Department discovered a man near the road suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but the 59-year-old victim reportedly was pronounced dead at the crime scene.
The victim was identified as Joss — an actor who has appeared in several popular TV shows.
Police identified the shooting suspect as 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, according to NBC News, which added that Ceja was arrested and charged with Joss' murder.
Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. Photo by Bexar County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images
TMZ reported that Ceja and Joss had lived two doors down from each other and that they had gotten into a "fiery dispute" Sunday that led to the fatal shooting. The outlet added that the pair had reportedly gotten into "verbal and physical fights in the past."
Joss’ husband — Tristan Kern de Gonzales — told the Associated Press that the person who killed the voice actor screamed "violent homophobic slurs" before firing his gun.
"He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," de Gonzales declared to the AP, adding that the shooter was "openly homophobic."
But police dispelled rumors that the murder was a hate crime over Joss being gay.
"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," police said in a statement. "SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. Should any new evidence come to light, the suspect will be charged accordingly."
Joss was best known as the voice of John Redcorn, a character on the "King of the Hill" animated TV series that ran from 1997 to 2009. A "King of the Hill" reboot is scheduled to premiere in August on Hulu.
According to Variety, Joss already had recorded dialogue for the series' reboot.
Just days ago, Joss was seen on video promoting the reboot during a panel at the ATX TV Festival in Austin.
Joss has 49 acting credits to his name, including his recurring role as Chief Ken Hotate in "Parks and Recreation." Joss also appeared on "Tulsa King," "Ray Donovan," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "True Grit," and "The Magnificent Seven."
Tributes to Joss rolled in from celebrities.
"Parks and Recreation" co-star Chris Pratt wrote on Instagram, "Damn. RIP Jonathan. Always such a kind dude. He played Ken Hotate in 'Parks and Recreation' and was also in 'The Magnificent Seven.' Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones."
Fellow "Parks and Recreation" actor Nick Offerman told People magazine, "The cast has been texting together about it all day, and we're just heartbroken. Jonathan was such a sweet guy, and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy."
De Gonzales stated, "To everyone who supported him, his fans, his friends, know that he valued you deeply. He saw you as family."
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Bob Newhart, comedy legend, dies at 94
Award-winning actor and legendary comedian Bob Newhart has died, according to multiple reports. The comedy icon was 94.
Newhart died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses, according to his longtime publicist Jerry Digney.
Newhart is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren.
In 1955, Newhart started a job as an accountant. However, he realized that he wanted a career in comedy.
Newhart started making comedic bits revolving around one-sided telephone conversations. He was hired to do comedy sketches on the radio.
Newhart then became a stand-up comedian. He notched a contract with Warner Brothers Records, which resulted in the 1960 release of “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” — the first comedy album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and Newhart took home the award for Best New Artist. In 2007, the comedy album was selected as one of 25 entries into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
Newhart followed up with an illustrious television and movie career.
In 1962, Newhart appeared in the Steve McQueen war film "Hell Is for Heroes."
Newhart acted in notable movies such as "Cold Turkey," "In & Out," and "Elf," plus was a voice actor in Disney's "The Rescuers."
His TV career started in 1961 when he hosted "The Bob Newhart Show." The show lasted only one season, but Newhart was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Peabody Award.
In 1963, he made an appearance in an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour."
In 1972, he got his second "The Bob Newhart Show," which ran until 1978.
In 1982, the iconic deadpan comedic actor got another sitcom with "Newhart," which lasted eight years.
Newhart starred in the sitcom "Bob" for one season starting in 1992 and then in "George and Leo" with Judd Hirsch in 1997.
Newhart appeared in episodes of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," "Saturday Night Live," "The Simpsons," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "ER," "NCIS," "The Big Bang Theory," and "Young Sheldon" in 2020.
Newhart was a regular on the TV talk show and variety show circuit, making numerous guest appearances on "The Jack Paar Show," "The Gary Moore Show," "The Dean Martin Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson."
Newhart was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993.
For his comedic talents, he won the Mark Twain Prize for Humor in 2002.
Newhart is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren. His wife of 60 years, Virginia "Ginnie" Newhart, died in 2023.
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