Tragic Death of 59-Year-Old Jonathan Joss: Beloved Husband Shot Amid Years of Homophobic Threats After Home Was Burned Down in Relentless Campaign of Hate

San Antonio, Texas | June 2, 2025 — In a harrowing act of violence that has sparked heartbreak and fury across Texas and beyond, 59-year-old Jonathan Joss was shot and killed during what his husband describes as a hate-motivated attack, following years of threats, targeted harassment, and official inaction.

Now, Jonathan’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, is speaking out — offering a deeply personal, unflinching account of the tragedy that ended his partner’s life and forever changed his own.

What began as a quiet return to the ashes of their former home ended in bloodshed. But beneath the horror lies a powerful truth: love endured until the very last breath.

A Love Story Under Siege

Jonathan and Tristan had been partners for years before they officially married on Valentine’s Day. Based in San Antonio, the couple had been dreaming of their future, searching for a trailer to live in and piecing together a new life together.

But even before their wedding, their lives were shadowed by fear. Their previous home had been the target of repeated threats from local individuals who, according to Tristan, made no secret of their hatred — or their intent to harm.

“For over two years, we lived under constant threats from people who openly told us they would burn our home down,” Tristan said. “We reported these threats to law enforcement over and over. Nothing was done.”

Eventually, those threats came true. Their home was set ablaze and destroyed. No arrests were made. No one was held accountable.

Still, the couple refused to let fear destroy their bond. They moved forward together. Until last week.

A Grisly Scene, a Deadly Encounter

On what should have been an ordinary visit to retrieve mail at the location of their former home, Jonathan and Tristan made a horrifying discovery: the skull of one of their beloved dogs, placed in the open alongside its harness — as if positioned deliberately to retraumatize them.

“We broke down,” Tristan recalled. “We began crying and shouting — just overwhelmed by the grief of what we saw.”

It was during that moment of mourning that a man approached them — a stranger who, according to Tristan, began shouting violent homophobic slurs at the couple.

“He raised a gun from his lap and fired,” Tristan said.

Neither man was armed. They weren’t threatening anyone. They were grieving. Standing side by side.

In the split second before the gunshot rang out, Jonathan acted.

“He pushed me out of the way,” Tristan said. “He saved my life.”

“He Gave Me More Love Than Most People Ever Get”

Jonathan Joss, 59, died a hero — not just to Tristan, but to the community that had come to know and love him. In the moments before his death, his final thoughts were of the man he had built a life with.

“I was with him when he passed,” Tristan said. “I told him how much he was loved.”

The couple’s love story, tragically cut short, was marked by courage, resilience, and devotion. They had chosen Valentine’s Day to marry — a symbol of the joy and strength they found in one another. They dreamed of building a home, not just physically, but emotionally.

“Jonathan is my husband,” Tristan wrote. “He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get.”

Now, that love lives on through memory and legacy.

“To everyone who supported him — his fans, his friends — know that he valued you deeply,” Tristan said. “He saw you as family.”

Systemic Failure and a Plea for Justice

More than a personal loss, Jonathan’s death has become a sobering symbol of institutional failure. Tristan made it clear in his statement: authorities were warned, again and again. Their pleas for help were documented. And yet, they were ignored.

“If your concern is how someone coped with trauma, or how loudly they speak when recounting injustice and being ignored by authorities,” Tristan said, “then you never truly cared about my husband.”

In the wake of the shooting, LGBTQ+ rights organizations and civil rights advocates are calling for a full investigation — not just into the killing itself, but into the unchecked pattern of hate that preceded it.

“This cannot happen in silence,” one activist stated. “When people report hate and it goes unanswered, the system becomes complicit.”

A Legacy of Bravery, a Call to Action

Today, as San Antonio mourns the loss of a man who loved deeply and stood bravely, Tristan remains focused on one thing: honoring Jonathan’s legacy.

“My focus now is on protecting Jonathan’s legacy and honoring the life we built together,” he said. “Jonathan saved my life. I will carry that forward.”

Across social media, thousands are sharing images, messages, and memories of Jonathan — as a partner, a friend, and a light in their lives. His story is a tragic reminder of the cost of hate. But it is also a testament to the power of love.

He was a husband. He was a hero. He was loved.

And now, his voice echoes in the words of the man he saved.