Jonathan Joss has been killed in what his husband has described as a homophobic hate crime. The actor, most known for his roles in Parks and Recreation and King of the Hill, was shot dead in Texas on Sunday, June 1.

Joss and his husband Tristan Kern de Gonzales were checking mail at their former home, which burned down earlier this year in a fire that killed their three dogs, when they saw a skull of one of their pets in front of the property. According to Kern de Gonzales, they were “yelling and crying” at the sight and were then approached by a man who threatened them with a gun. The assailant allegedly shouted “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire.

“We were standing side by side,” Kern de Gonzales said. “When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life.”

Authorities attempted to revive Joss, but he was pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries from multiple gunshots.

Sharing the news of Facebook, Kern de Gonzales added, “He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other.” He explained that the couple previously faced harassment from neighbours, much of it homophobic.

While Jonathan Joss’ husband alleges that the murder was a hate crime, San Antonio police say they have found no evidence to support that claim. A suspect, 56-year-old Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The force has said that “should any new evidence come to light,” they will update the charges accordingly.

Joss’ Parks and Recreation co-star Nick Offerman has described the murder as a “terrible tragedy”, saying “The cast has been texting together about it all day and we’re just heartbroken… Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate.”