Jonathan Joss, the actor whose deep, commanding voice gave life to one of the most quietly iconic characters in adult animation, has died at the age of 59.
His death wasn’t just sudden—it was violent, senseless, and tragically ironic given the peaceful persona he projected through his work.
According to police in San Antonio, Texas, Joss died Sunday night from multiple gunshot wounds following what appears to have been a heated altercation with a neighbor. And in a detail that reads like something out of a noir thriller, the alleged shooter tried to flee but was caught just one block away.
The suspect, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Cejam, has been charged with murder. Authorities say the two men got into a confrontation—what sparked it remains unclear—and it turned fatal. Paramedics rushed to the scene and tried to save Joss, but it was too late.
Now, here’s the part that hits even harder: Joss had just been celebrating the legacy of “King of the Hill” days earlier, appearing alongside his castmates at the 2025 ATX TV Festival in Austin.
It was supposed to be a victory lap, a moment to bask in the glow of a reboot that had fans fired up and nostalgic for the magic of Arlen, Texas.
Joss had even shared a hopeful Instagram post from the streets of Austin, captioning his walkabout with news that the reboot was “up and moving.”
Well, it was. Now it feels like the ground just shifted underneath it.
Jonathan Joss wasn’t just a voice actor—he was a storyteller. A Native American performer with a presence that went beyond animation, he left his mark on shows like “Parks and Recreation”, “Ray Donovan”, and “Tulsa King”. And who could forget his appearance in “True Grit” and “The Magnificent Seven”? The guy had range. He had soul.
The investigation is still ongoing. The motive is still unknown. But what we do know is this: a light just went out in the world of animation and beyond.
