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'Top Gun: Maverick' Actor James Handy Allegedly Stabbed to Death by Girlfriend’s Son
A tragedy has hit Hollywood.
James Handy—who appeared in movies like Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji—was fatally stabbed in Los Angeles on the morning of June 3, and the suspect has been identified as his girlfriend's son Michael Gledhill, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The actor was 81 years old.
Police said its West Valley area patrol officers responded around 9:30 a.m. after they received a 911 call in which the caller said, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."
"Upon their arrival, officers discovered 81-year-old James Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest," a June 4 press release from the LAPD read. "The victim was transported to local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced deceased."
The LAPD said the suspect, Gledhill, a 44-year-old who lives in the L.A. neighborhood of Tarzana.
"The suspect flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for," the release continued. "The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the victim’s girlfriend. Detectives believe this is an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time."
Gledhill was arrested and booked at Van Nuys Jail on one count of murder, the LAPD stated. His bail was set at $2,000,000.
An attorney for Gledhill was not listed in online jail records. E! News has reached out to the LAPD, the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for comment.
As the investigation into the stabbing remains ongoing, read on to learn more about Handy.
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How Did James Handy Die?
Handy was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend's son Michael Gledhill in Los Angeles on June 3, according to the LAPD.
"With great sadness, I can confirm that the gentleman who was killed in Tarzana on Wednesday was actor James Handy," his agent told E! News. "I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy."
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded that morning after a 911 caller told them, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."
When the police arrived, "officers discovered 81-year-old James Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest," a June 4 press release from the LAPD stated. "The victim was transported to local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced deceased."
Police said the suspect—who has been identified as 44-year-old Gledhill—"flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for.” The LAPD noted Gledhill was arrested and booked on one count of murder. The investigation into the stabbing remains ongoing.
What Role Did James Handy Play in Top Gun: Maverick?
The late actor portrayed a bartender in the 2022 movie starring Tom Cruise and, according to IMDb, it was Handy’s most recent film appearance.
What Role Did James Handy Play in Jumanji?
In the 1995 film, Handy portrayed an exterminator who was called after Bradley Pierce’s character Peter Shepherd, the younger brother of Kristen Dunst's Judy, saw a bunch of bats in the attic of their new home—a house that belonged to the family of Alan Parrish (played by the late Robin Williams) before he was sucked into the game Jumanji.
What Other Roles Did James Handy Play?
On the film side, Handy’s credits included playing coroner Milton Briggs in the 1990 horror Arachnophobia, a doctor in Hugh Jackman’s 2017 Wolverine movie Logan, Mayor Billings in the 2017 George Clooney-directed movie Suburbicon starring Matt Damon and Flynn in the culinary film Street to Table. As for TV, he appeared in many shows, including The Young and the Restless, Alias, The West Wing, Melrose Rose Place and NYPD Blue.
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