The Murder of Jonathan Joss
Once Upon A Crime | True Crime
Esther Ludlow
4.6 • 5K Ratings
🗓️ 23 June 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Jonathan Joss (1965–2025) was a Native American actor and musician renowned for his roles as John Redcorn in King of the Hill and Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation. His tragic death on June 1, 2025, has brought attention to issues of hate crimes and the underrepresentation of Native American victims in media coverage. Native activists emphasize that Joss’ death highlights an underreported crisis of mental health disparities and violence against Native and LGBTQ communities.
#JonathanJoss #TrueCrimePodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #IndigenousVoices #MediaBias #OnceUponACrime #JusticeForJonathanJoss #NativeAmericanIssues #SystemicNeglect #TrueCrimeAndTrauma
Resources:
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The Trevor Project – for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in crisis, call 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 678-678 or visit their website thetrevorproject.org.
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StrongHearts Native Helpline – a culturally appropriate helpline for Native Americans impacted by domestic or sexual violence. Call 1-844-7NATIVE, that 1-844-762-8483 or visit strongheartshelpline.org
Sources:
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/jonathan-joss-murder-suspect-sigfredo-ceja-alvarez-bond
https://apnews.com/article/king-of-hill-actor-fatally-shot-joss-68cdcbcdefd0515d5315755201245fca
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rp3n54d98o
https://www.tpr.org/podcast/fronteras/2025-06-13/fronteras-death-of-jonathan-joss-highlights-systemic-disparities-in-native-and-lgbtq-communities
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jonathan-joss-killed-investigation-sexual-orientation-what-to-know/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Joss
https://deadline.com/2025/06/jonathan-joss-killed-king-of-the-hill-actor-1236420464/
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2025/06/03/i-shot-him-suspect-admitted-to-killing-actor-jonathan-joss-amid-ongoing-feud-report-states/
Sponsors:
Cornbread Hemp - Visit cornbreadhemp.com/once and use code ONCE for 30% off your first order.
Links:
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, true crime fans! Want to travel with us? |
| 0:05.0 | Tickets are officially on sale for our very first trip, and it's to Mexico City. |
| 0:11.0 | And we want you to join us. |
| 0:13.0 | We'll spend four unforgettable days in Mexico City from March 27th to 30th, 2026. |
| 0:19.0 | You'll experience the real CDMX, with local guides to sit mescal, |
| 0:23.8 | eat tacos like locals, and explore one of the world's most vibrant cities, safely and |
| 0:28.9 | stress-free. It will be a trip you'll be talking about for years to come, and one you'll experience |
| 0:34.5 | with me, Lorena, and a killer crew of podcast fans just like you. |
| 0:39.2 | Your spot includes meals, activities, and expert guides, all for $1951. |
| 0:45.4 | Flight's not included, but everything else? Handled. |
| 0:48.8 | We've got just 8 to 20 spots, so don't wait. Book now and let's make memories in Mexico together. Click the link in the show notes to reserve your spot today. |
| 1:04.9 | This podcast details true crime cases. It contains adult themes and may contain descriptions of violence. It is not |
| 1:12.5 | intended for children. Listener discretion is advised. |
| 1:23.9 | Thank you for joining me for today's episode of Once Upon a Crime. This marks the final episode of |
| 1:29.7 | Season 9, and we'll be taking a short summer break before returning with brand new content on July 21st. |
| 1:36.4 | But don't worry, there's plenty to keep you entertained in the meantime. With over 350 episodes |
| 1:42.0 | in our archive, it's the perfect time to catch up or revisit some of your favorites. |
| 1:47.0 | Whether you're relaxing on the beach, hitting the road, or lounging poolside, we've got you covered. |
| 1:52.7 | Be sure to check out our Spotify playlist featuring some of our best summer-themed true crime episodes. |
| 1:58.4 | There's a link for you in the show notes. |
| 2:02.2 | This week, I'll be sharing a case pulled straight from today's headlines. He was the voice behind one of television's most |
| 2:07.0 | memorable Native American characters, a musician, an advocate, and a storyteller, and for many, |
... |
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