What To Know
- Actor James Handy was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, Michael Gledhill, in Los Angeles on June 3.
- Authorities responded to a 911 call from Gledhill, who confessed to the murder and was later arrested.
- Handy had a prolific acting career, with notable appearances in films Top Gun: Maverick and TV shows like Alias and NYPD Blue.
James Handy, who starred in the film Top Gun: Maverick and played Captain Haverhill on NYPD Blue, was stabbed to death on Wednesday (June 3). His girlfriend’s son has been arrested after reportedly confessing to the crime.
According to the New York Post, authorities rushed to the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday morning after receiving a call from an individual who said, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
When police officers arrived at the address on Erwin Street, they discovered the 81-year-old Handy unconscious in front of his home. The actor had been stabbed multiple times in the chest. Handy was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The suspect, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, allegedly waved down the officers a short time later and revealed he was the one who made the call and was responsible for Handy’s death.
Gledhill is the son of Handy’s girlfriend and was living with the couple. Fox 11 Los Angeles obtained security footage that showed Gledhill walking around the neighborhood moments after the attack. A motive has not been revealed, but neighbors told Fox 11 that Gledhill and Handy had been arguing overnight.
He was subsequently arrested for murder, with his bail set at $2 million.
“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” the actor’s talent agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, said in a statement, per The Daily Mail.
Born on March 19, 1945, in New York City, Handy has had a long career in film and television, starring in numerous projects since 1977. On the big screen, he appeared in K-9 and its sequel K-911, as well as Arachnophobia, Jumanji, Unbreakable, Logan, and as Jimmy in Top Gun: Maverick.
On television, Handy is perhaps best known for playing Arthur Devlin in Alias and Loud Handleman in Profiler. His other credits include The Young and the Restless, Melrose Place, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, The West Wing, ER, Law & Order, Murder, She Wrote, Quantum Leap, and Castle. More recently, he appeared in an episode of 9-1-1.