This article covers the arrest and ongoing court proceedings in San Antonio involving Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez and the fatal shooting of actor Jonathan Joss on the South Side, with updates from Bexar County courtrooms where prosecutor Neil Cordero and Judge Joel Perez are handling the case and defense lawyers Jason Goss and Nico LaHood are preparing witnesses and legal arguments.
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 57, was arrested in June 2025 and faces a murder charge after admitting to the shooting that killed Jonathan Joss. The case has drawn attention because Joss was a recognizable actor with roles on King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation, and because the killing happened in a neighborhood where tensions had been reported. Alvarez first appeared in court following the arrest and has been back before the bench as the state and defense assemble witnesses and evidence.
At a recent hearing in Bexar County’s 437th Criminal District Court, prosecutor Neil Cordero told Judge Joel Perez the state is still working to evaluate the case. “We’re in the process of gathering information to be able to speak to witnesses about what occurred,” Cordero said. That process will determine whether the state moves forward quickly with additional charges or waits for fuller witness interviews and forensic follow-up.
The defense, led by attorney Jason Goss, told the court their team has identified a large pool of potential witnesses tied to neighborhood interactions and behavior patterns. “We’ve kind of identified, like, 40 to 60 relevant witnesses,” Goss told the court. Goss said his team had located roughly two dozen witnesses so far and is still tracking down people who might provide context about long-running disputes in the area.
Both sides agreed to bring Alvarez back for another hearing on June 29 so the court can monitor progress and set next steps. Before that, Alvarez’s most recent prior appearance in the matter was on Feb. 24, when scheduling and pretrial matters were discussed. For now, Alvarez remains under the legal process that will determine whether the case advances to trial and how both sides will frame their stories for jurors.
Jonathan Joss, 59, was shot just after 7 p.m. on June 1, 2025, in the 200 block of Dorsey Drive near Pleasanton Road on San Antonio’s South Side. That location is also where Joss’s home had caught fire months earlier on Jan. 23, 2025, a separate incident that had already put the actor in the local news and made neighbors aware of his struggles. According to the San Antonio Police Department report, Joss was at the property to check his mail when things escalated.
A witness told officers they saw Alvarez park behind the vehicle Joss was in, then begin arguing with Joss outside the vehicle before threatening him. The witness reported that Alvarez threatened to shoot Joss and then fired a rifle, striking Joss, who was pronounced dead at the scene. After an SAPD officer detained him, Alvarez reportedly told the officer, “I shot him,” according to the police report, a statement that prosecutors will use alongside physical evidence and witness testimony.
Three days after the shooting, Alvarez was released from the Bexar County jail after a judge set bond at $200,000. That release and the speed of the bond decision drew attention in the community and added urgency to the court’s work to collect testimony and evidence. In public comments made later, lead defense attorney Nico LaHood framed the case as one of self-defense and emphasized legal rights under Texas law.
“This was leading up, unfortunately,” LaHood said on June 24, 2025. “And, as you know, people in Texas have a right not to be a victim. You have a right to self-defense. You have a right to the defense of third persons legally and under the law, and we believe that applies here.” Those assertions set the stage for a contested pretrial period where witness credibility, motive, and the sequence of events will be scrutinized by both sides.
Jonathan Joss was best known for voicing John Redcorn on the animated series King Of The Hill and for a recurring role on Parks and Recreation, among other credits. His death has prompted local reaction in San Antonio and renewed attention to neighborhood disputes, mental health, and public safety concerns. As the court process continues in Bexar County, both the state and the defense are mobilizing witnesses and evidence to make their cases to Judge Perez and, potentially, a jury.
