San Antonio police chief William McManus, center, speaks at a press conference earlier this year. Credit: Michael Karlis

At a Thursday morning press conference on the shooting death of San Antonio actor Jonathan Joss, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said his department was premature in saying the incident wasn’t a hate crime and acknowledged its statement stoked fears in the LGBTQ+ community.

“I will own that and simply say we shouldn’t have done that,” McManus said. “It was way too early in the process for a statement of that nature to be issued.”

On Monday, the day after Joss’ death, SAPD officials issued a statement to the Current and other media stating there was “no evidence” the slaying was a result of the King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation actor’s sexual orientation. The department released the statement after Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, made a social media post suggesting the incident was a hate crime.

Since then, online speculation has percolated nationwide that the suspect arrested in the case and charged with murder, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez — a neighbor with whom Joss had a long-running dispute — was motivated by Joss’ sexuality. High-profile figures including influencers and celebrities — such as actress Cynthia Nixon — and the Human Rights Campaign have called for accountability and a thorough investigation.

Both San Antonio U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and District 2 City Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez also fired off tweets arguing the shooting was motivated by homophobia.

“[SAPD] claims there is no evidence of a hate crime. Meanwhile homophobic slurs were yelled, years of harassment were reported & ignored, a house was burned down, a dog was killed with its skull left on display. And now a murder,” McKee-Rodriguez tweeted. “This is a horrific look. SAPD must do better.”

“We understand that many in the LGBTQ+ community are feeling anxious and concerned,” McManus said at the press conference. “A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released. We shouldn’t have done it.”

Shortly after the conclusion of McManus’ press conference, Kern de Gonzales, Joss’ spouse, issued a statement reiterating his belief that the shooting is a hate crime.

“My husband Jonathan Joss was murdered in a hate crime. He spent years begging for help, reporting threats, pleading for protection. The police ignored him,” Kern de Gonzales said. “Now they want to act like they care about queer lives and indigenous lives. They don’t care. This is not justice. It’s a spectacle.”

Kern de Gonzales further added that, “one way or another justice will prevail.”

“If you really care about Jonathan or the long history of LGBTQIA+ and Indigenous people who have been ignored and harmed by the system, don’t believe this farce,” he wrote.

McManus said SAPD is continuing its investigation of the shooting and also working with San Antonio Fire Department investigators to determine whether a January blaze that severely damaged Joss home could have been an act of arson. The chief added that he personally met with the case’s lead investigator and SAPD’s homicide captain on the matter.

Under Texas law, police departments don’t make the determination whether to elevate a charge to a hate crime, nor are hate crimes brought as separate charges, McManus also said. Under state statute, a determination that charge is a hate crime increases the severity of its sentencing.

The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office ultimately will make the determination whether to elevate the charge once it receives SAPD’s investigation report, McManus added.

McManus declined to discuss specific details of the investigation, saying he didn’t want to jeopardize the pending legal case. However, he said department would share more once it has new information it can verify.

Further, McManus said he’s aware of concerns about the number of times police were dispatched to Joss’ South Side home — more than 70 times over the past two years.

“Our mental health units had extensive engagement with Mr. Joss and made repeated efforts to mediate conflicts and connect him with services he may have needed,” the chief added.

McManus said he wants to assure San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ community that SAPD is concerned about its safety, adding that the department is hosting a forum with Pride San Antonio at Woodlawn Pointe, 702 Donaldson Ave., at 6 p.m. Thursday, to address concerns about the shooting.

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This article appears in May 29 – Jun 11, 2025.