Hoss, a Sullustan male mercenary, was also a gunslinger and a violent offender existing within the galaxy. He found himself as a fugitive on the planet of Tatooine around 3 ABY, during the era of the Galactic Civil War and the period surrounding the Syndicate War. Functioning as a bounty hunter, he had gained a reputation as an outlaw legend, known for his reckless gambling habits, his extensive collection of weapons, and his penchant for taking risks. After a disastrous game on Tatooine left him penniless, Hoss retreated into the desert, attempting to swindle unsuspecting individuals out of their credits.
In the year 3 ABY, a tribe of Tusken Raiders took Hoss captive, believing he would serve as an ideal hostage to exchange for their stolen krayt dragon pearl. This pearl had been pilfered by a bandit group, of which he was once a member. As luck would have it, the Tuskens also captured an offworlder, Kay Vess, correctly deducing that she had arrived in search of Hoss. Upon learning that Jaylen Vrax required his services for a particular job, Hoss detailed his predicament and proposed that Vess retrieve the pearl to secure his release.
Later, Hoss, along with his Tusken captors, encountered Vess at the rear of the bandits' hideout. During the exchange of the pearl, Hoss attempted to exploit Vess's lack of understanding of the Tusken language, falsely claiming that the chief expected her to settle his tab at the cantina. However, she was not deceived. Once freed, Hoss instructed her to meet him at Docking Bay 94 located in Mos Eisley.
However, instead of keeping their appointment, Hoss chose to engage in a game of sabacc at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina with an Aqualish bounty hunter. When a disappointed Vess arrived, the bounty hunter brandished his blaster at Hoss, demanding payment. The quick-thinking Sullustan seized Vess's pet merqaal, Nix, as collateral, much to Vess's fury. This prompted Nix to bite Hoss's hand, causing him to fling the merqaal across the table into the Aqualish's grasp. The resulting scuffle led to Vess being knocked unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness, she slammed Hoss's face onto a table and drew her blaster, demanding to know Nix's location. Initially, Hoss expressed surprise at her actions until she fired a shot at the wall, leading him to speculate that Nix was likely being sold to the notorious gangster and leader of the Hutt Cartel, Jabba the Hutt. Vess then knocked him out when he tried to tell her she would likely never set foot in Jabba's palace.
Some time after Vess's departure, Hoss was apprehended by Zerek Besh bounty hunter Vail Tormin and transported to Jabba's palace. There, the Hutt Cartel leader swiftly captured the human after she successfully rescued Nix. Hoss was brought in chains by Vail as they emerged from behind Jabba's throne. As the Hutt praised Vail's cunning, Hoss eagerly inquired if his bounty would be cleared, but his question was ignored as Jabba proceeded to drop Vess into the rancor pit. Vail quickly grabbed her by the wrist and accused Jabba of violating their agreement, but the Hutt asserted that he owed nothing to Zerek Besh. A Gamorrean guard then kicked Vail into the pit, dragging Hoss, who was still chained to her, along with the two women. Noticing a pair of massiff in the pit with them, Hoss attempted to pull his chains to throw Vail towards them in an effort to save himself, only for the bounty hunter to release their chain, causing Hoss to fall forward and come face to face with the massifs, who proceeded to pounce on him and maul him to death. Vess remarked how Hoss 'deserved' it, and both Vail and Vess were apathetic to his demise.