“Top Gun: Maverick” Actor James Handy Fatally Stabbed in Los Angeles; Girlfriend’s Son Arrested, Police Say
LOS ANGELES, CA — June 5, 2026 — Veteran actor James Handy, known for his decades-long career in film and television and for appearances in Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji, Arachnophobia, Logan, and numerous television dramas, has died after a fatal stabbing at a residence in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to police. He was 81.
The Los Angeles Police Department said officers from the West Valley area responded on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at approximately 9:30 a.m. to a radio call of “unknown trouble” in the 19200 block of Erwin Street. According to investigators, the 911 caller made a disturbing statement to dispatch, saying, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
When officers arrived, they found Handy unconscious in the front yard of the residence, suffering from a stab wound to the chest. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police identified the suspect as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, a resident of Tarzana. According to the LAPD, Gledhill flagged down responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for. Investigators said Gledhill lived at the residence with his mother, who was Handy’s girlfriend.
Gledhill was arrested and transported to Van Nuys Jail, where he was booked for one count of murder under California Penal Code 187(a). His bail was set at $2,000,000.
Authorities have not publicly released a motive. Detectives with the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Bureau Section, are investigating the case. Police said the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no apparent ongoing danger to the public.
Handy was a respected character actor whose screen career spanned several decades. He appeared in major films including Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji, Arachnophobia, Taps, The Verdict, The Rocketeer, Unbreakable, and Logan. On television, Handy built an extensive résumé with roles and guest appearances across popular series including NYPD Blue, The West Wing, ER, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Closer, Cold Case, Melrose Place, and Beverly Hills, 90210.
In Top Gun: Maverick, Handy appeared as Jimmy, a bartender, adding to a career that made him a familiar face across Hollywood productions. His earlier work also included a role on the daytime series Ryan’s Hope, marking the beginning of a long and steady presence in film and television.
The LAPD is asking anyone with additional information about the incident to contact Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Section detectives at (818) 374-9550. During non-business hours or weekends, calls can be directed to (310) 726-7700 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or through the P3 Tips mobile application.
Handy’s death has shocked fans and members of the entertainment community, who remember him as a dependable and versatile performer whose work reached audiences across generations.
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