Indigenous actor Jonathan Joss died in San Antonio earlier this month following a confrontation with his neighbor. Police had previously responded to dozens of calls and dozens of mental health checks to Joss’ residence.
Joss, a member of the LGBTQ community, was also of Comanche and White Mountain Apache descent.
Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, called the murder an act of homophobia. San Antonio police originally said there was no evidence of a hate crime.
They later walked back that statement, saying it was “premature.”
Native activists emphasize that Joss’ death highlights an underreported crisis of mental health disparities and violence against Native and LGBTQ communities.
Maya Soto, community engagement coordinator with San Antonio-based American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM), said Joss’ death underscores how Native populations have been failed by institutions.
“As devastating and as painful and as tragic as this incident was, it really paints a very clear picture that tells us as Native people, as indigenous people — also as LGBTQIA2S+ people — that the city is not yet able to meet our needs.”
Ramon D. Vasquez, community engagement manager with AIT-SCM, said ongoing violence against Native populations bleeds into other aspects of life.
“(This) type of lateral violence just adds to the disproportionality that we see within healthcare system, within suicide rates, within just lack of motivation, resources, services for the Indigenous community,” he said.
AIT-SCM released two statements in the days following the death of Native actor Jonathan Joss, including one that lays out a list of demands for accountability and transparency of the San Antonio Police Department.
View the statements below:
In Continued Remembrance of Jonathan Joss a Call for Accountability and Change -AITSCM Statement June 6, 20... by Texas Public Radio on Scribd
Fronteras reached out to SAPD for a statement in response to those demands. Read SAPD's statement below:
"The San Antonio Police Department is committed to the safety and well-being of all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or sexual identity.
Investigators are continuing to investigate the murder of Jonathan Joss. SAPD officers responded to more than 70 calls for service at Joss’ address. Additionally, the SAFFE officer assigned to the neighborhood maintained regular contact with both Joss and his neighbors for over a year. The SAPD Mental Health Unit was also engaged and provided additional resources and support.
SAPD maintains an ongoing partnership with our LGBTQ+ community. Our strong partnership with Pride San Antonio was recently demonstrated at a community forum held on June 4, 2025. All cadets receive LGBTQ+ training as part of the requirements to become an SAPD officer. Additionally, all active officers receive in-service refresher training every three years on the importance of LGBTQ+ community and cultural diversity. SAPD is proud to be the first law enforcement agency in the country to achieve Level 1 Foundational Trauma-Informed Care Organizational Certification and remains committed to engaging in dialogue to build relationships to foster trust in our community."
