James Handy, the veteran character actor best known for his role as bartender Jimmy in "Top Gun: Maverick," was allegedly stabbed to death in the front yard of his Tarzana home by the son of his longtime partner, authorities said.
Background
The 81-year-old actor, whose career spanned nearly 150 film and television credits including roles in "The West Wing," "Castle," "Logan" and "Jumanji," had been living with his partner Wendy Gledhill for more than three decades. On the morning of the attack, Handy followed a routine he had maintained for years: stepping outside to grab the newspaper around 9 a.m.
"James had gotten up to get the newspaper at about 9 o'clock, but he didn't make the coffee like he usually does," Wendy Gledhill told the Daily Mail from the couple's three-bedroom home in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood. "I just heard the door open because he was getting the paper."
Wendy said she remained in bed and initially thought nothing was wrong. She believes her son, Michael Gledhill, 44, was already outside when Handy stepped onto the front lawn.
"I can only assume my son was already out there and they started to argue, from my understanding, on the front yard," Wendy said.
The Investigation
About 30 minutes later, police arrived at the residence. Authorities said Michael Gledhill called 911 around 9:30 a.m. and allegedly told a dispatcher: "I am the son of man. I just killed a man of sin."
When officers arrived at the home, they found Handy unconscious in the front yard with a stab wound to the chest. He was rushed to a hospital but later died from his injuries.
Chilling surveillance footage obtained by FOX 11 showed Gledhill casually walking away from the scene before returning and surrendering to police. Investigators said he flagged down officers and identified himself as the suspect they were seeking.
Wendy believes her son, who had been living with the couple for about two years, suffered a mental-health crisis after allegedly stopping medication prescribed for schizophrenia.
"So I don't think he was taking it at the time [of the alleged attack], but I don't know for sure," she told the Daily Mail.
Several neighbors told reporters they heard loud arguments coming from the home the night before the killing and said Gledhill had exhibited troubling behavior in the past.
"We knew there was something not right with him, so we just tried to stay away," one neighbor said. "But the older couple was always very nice. It's just very tragic what happened."
The Charges
Gledhill has been charged with murder and a special allegation that he personally used a deadly weapon in connection with Handy' death.
His bail was set at $2.02 million. If convicted, Gledhill faces up to 26 years to life in prison under California law.
"I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy," his agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, said in a statement.
Key Takeaways
- James Handy, 81, was an actor with nearly 150 film and TV credits, most recently appearing in "Top Gun: Maverick" as bartender Jimmy
- He was allegedly stabbed to death by Michael Gledhill, the 44-year-old son of his longtime partner Wendy Gledhill
- Authorities say Gledhill called 911 and told a dispatcher he had killed 'a man of sin' before surrendering to police
- Police found Handy unconscious with a stab wound to the chest in his front yard; he later died at a hospital
- Gledhill has been charged with murder and a special allegation of personally using a deadly weapon
- His bail was set at $2.02 million; if convicted, he faces up to 26 years to life in prison
- Wendy Gledhill believes her son stopped taking medication prescribed for schizophrenia before the alleged attack
What's Next
Gledhill is awaiting arraignment on the murder charge. His defense team has not yet filed a response to the allegations in court records. Prosecutors have indicated they will pursue the special circumstance allegation at trial, which could significantly enhance any potential sentence if Gledhill is convicted.