James Handy, a veteran character actor who appeared in Top Gun: Maverick and the beloved 1990s film Jumanji, was fatally stabbed outside his Tarzana home on Wednesday. He was 81.
The suspect, identified as the son of Handy’s girlfriend, was arrested at the scene and booked on suspicion of murder.
“I Am the Son of Man, I Just Killed the Man of Sin”
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Officers responded to a 911 call around 9:30 a.m. on June 3. The caller said, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
When police arrived, they found Handy lying unconscious in his front yard with a stab wound to the chest. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, flagged down responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for. Gledhill resided at the same Tarzana address as his mother — who is Handy’s girlfriend.
“Detectives believe this is an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time,” the LAPD said in a statement.
A Career Spanning Decades
Handy’s face was familiar to film and television audiences across generations. He played an exterminator in Jumanji (1995) opposite Robin Williams and appeared as a bartender in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick — one of his final roles.
His film credits also included Arachnophobia (1990) and The Rocketeer (1991). On television, Handy guest-starred on NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills, 90210, Law & Order, and The Young and the Restless.
“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” his talent agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, told NBC News.
No Known Motive, Investigation Ongoing
The LAPD has not disclosed a possible motive for the stabbing. No additional arrests have been made. Gledhill remains in custody, and a court date has not yet been announced.
Neighbors described the Tarzana block as generally quiet. Handy’s death marks the second high-profile stabbing of a veteran actor in Los Angeles in recent years, following the killing of General Hospital star Johnny Wactor in 2024.
Handy is survived by family members, including his girlfriend. The investigation remains active, and detectives continue to interview witnesses.
