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Actor and “Top Gun: Maverick” star James Handy desperately fought for his life as he was allegedly stabbed to death in a violent struggle with his girlfriend’s deranged son at her home in the Los Angeles area, newly released documents show.
The 81-year-old star of hit movies including “Jumanji” and “Arachnophobia” suffered choking injuries to his neck and stab wounds to his torso when Michael Gledhill allegedly attacked him at the Tarzana residence on June 3, authorities said.
The actor had gotten into an argument with his alleged killer on the front porch of his girlfriend’s home, according to a Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s report regarding his death obtained by TMZ.
When the alteration turned physical, Gledhill, 44, allegedly choked and mounted Handy before dragging him to the side of the house before going back inside to retrieve what “appeared to be a knife,” the report states.
Gledhill allegedly returned with the weapon, stabbing Handy several times in the torso, the report states. As the actor lay dying from his wounds, Gledhill placed a chilling call to 911.
“I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” the suspect told the dispatcher, according to police.
Cops rushed to the scene, finding Handy unconscious. The actor was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A short time later, Gledhill allegedly waved down officers and told them he was the one they were looking for, according to the LAPD.
Video from a neighbor’s doorbell camera showed Gledhill walking along the sidewalk away from the home. Gledhill could then be seen returning to the residence before he approached police.
Gledhill stood eerily still as police placed him in handcuffs and took him into custody, the footage showed.
The suspect, who was living with his mother at the time of the attack, was arrested and charged with murder. He’s being held at a Van Nuys Jail with his bail set at $2 million.
Police have not provided any clues about Gledhill’s possible motive. He is undergoing a mental competency evaluation before his case moves forward.
Handy’s storied career began in the 1970s, with his most recent high-profile role coming in the 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick.”
He also played an exterminator in the 1995 hit “Jumanji,” starring Robin Williams. His IMDB page shows about 150 acting credits.
Handy made appearances on TV shows including “The West Wing,” “9-1-1,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “CSI: NY,” “The Young and the Restless,” “Castle,” “Criminal Minds,” “Cold Case,” “Without a Trace,” “ER,” “The X-Files” and “Mulaney.”
His 76-year-old girlfriend, Wendy Gledhill, told The Post shortly after the alleged killing that the incident left her totally devastated.
“I’m just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time,” she said.
“I loved James and my son. I still can’t believe it….I can’t believe my son did it,” she added.
Handy began his morning routine as usual the day he was killed, stepping outside Wedny’s home to grab the newspaper and make coffee, his partner of more than three decades said.
The next time she saw him, he was beneath a blanket.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” she recalled. “The first time I heard something was happening was when the police showed up.”
English (US)