Veteran character actor James Handy, 81, stabbed to death at his Tarzana home; girlfriend's son arrested
James Handy, a character actor known for roles in 'Jumanji' and 'Top Gun: Maverick', was found stabbed in the chest outside his Los Angeles home. Police arrested Michael Gledhill, the 44-year-old son of Handy's girlfriend, on suspicion of murder.
The incident
Police responded to a 911 call on Wednesday, 3 June, from a man who stated, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin." Officers arrived at the residence on Erwin Street in the Tarzana neighbourhood of Los Angeles to find 81-year-old James Handy unconscious on the front lawn with a stab wound to the chest. Handy was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the girlfriend of the victim.
The suspect
Michael Gledhill, 44, was arrested at the scene after approaching nearby officers and telling them he was the person they were looking for. He was booked on a murder charge and held at the Van Nuys jail on $2 million bail. Gledhill did not appear at his arraignment on Friday afternoon in Los Angeles superior court, and no plea was entered. Superior court judge John H Reid ordered that he be sent to mental health court for psychological evaluations to determine his competency for trial.
The sheriff's department decided Gledhill should not be brought to the courtroom.
The victim
Born in New York, James Handy built a six-decade career as a prolific character actor. He appeared in dozens of films and television series, often in supporting roles. His film credits include the exterminator in the 1995 film 'Jumanji', a coroner in 'Arachnophobia', a doctor in 'Logan', and most recently the bartender Jimmy in the 2022 blockbuster 'Top Gun: Maverick'. On television, he featured in numerous crime procedurals such as 'NCIS: Los Angeles', 'The Closer', 'Cold Case', 'NYPD Blue', 'Law & Order', 'Alias', and 'The West Wing'.
I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy.
The neighbourhood
The crime took place in Tarzana, a residential suburb in the San Fernando Valley named after the character created by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, who once owned a large ranch in the area. The neighbourhood is home to numerous celebrities, including Selena Gomez, Lisa Kudrow, Marc Anthony, and Jason Derulo. Police stated that detectives believe this was an isolated incident and that there is no danger to the public.
