Who is Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja? Suspect charged with murdering actor Jonathan Joss in alleged hate crime

Jonathan Joss tragically died on June 1 after being shot in Texas. The incident reportedly took place around 7 p.m., when police were called about a shooting. According to the police, Joss was found lying near the road, after which they tried to help him through lifesaving aid. Joss was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have taken Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja into custody. The fifty-six-year-old is reportedly a neighbor of Joss and tried to drive away after the incident but was found and arrested shortly after. Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja has been charged with first-degree murder, and his bail has been set at $200,000.

According to statements from TMZ, the two had a history of fighting. Joss lost his home at the start of the year. According to Joss's husband's statement, he went to the area on Sunday to collect a victim’s fund check.

After seeing the remains of one of his dogs, he became very angry and started yelling, leading to a heated argument between Joss and Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. Police are continuing to investigate the case to find out more details.

Tristan Kern de Gonzales, husband of Jonathan Joss, shares statement

After the tragic incident, the husband of Jonathan Joss, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, shared a statement on Joss's Facebook account, explaining the situation. In the statement he wrote,

"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."

He further continued,

"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."

Tristan also mentioned a man in his statement, referring to Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja. He said Ceja came up to them, yelled at them, and then pulled out a gun. According to his statement, the couple didn’t have any weapons to protect them and had only come to the house to grieve. When Ceja fired the gun, Jonathan Joss pushed Tristan to protect him, and that’s when he got shot.

Tristan ended his statement by saying,

"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."

Jonathan Joss was best known for giving voice to John Redcorn in the animated show King of the Hill.

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