The son of actor James Handy’s girlfriend has been charged with murder following the veteran actor’s fatal stabbing at a Los Angeles home, authorities announced Friday.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill faces one count of murder along with a special allegation that he used a deadly weapon in the killing. If convicted, Gledhill could face up to 26 years in state prison.
Handy, 81, a respected character actor known for numerous television and film appearances, including his role as bartender Jimmy in the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, was found suffering from stab wounds outside a home in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles on Wednesday morning. He later died from his injuries.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman condemned the violence in a statement, saying, “This is not how anyone’s life should end, stabbed in the chest and left dying in the front yard of a home.”
Investigators identified Michael Gledhill as the suspect. Police said they responded to the residence after receiving a 911 call in which the caller reportedly stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Upon arrival, officers said Gledhill approached them and admitted he was the person they were seeking. He was taken into custody at the scene.
Court records indicate that Gledhill appeared in court Friday for arraignment proceedings. An unnamed deputy public defender was listed as representing him, though court documents did not specify a plea. Defendants commonly enter not guilty pleas during arraignment hearings.
As of Friday afternoon, Gledhill remained in custody with bail set at $2 million, according to jail records.
The suspect’s mother, Wendy Gledhill, who was reportedly in a relationship with Handy, expressed grief over the tragedy in a statement released Friday.
“I loved James, this should have never happened to him. I’m sorry to his family and his friends,” she said.
Handy enjoyed a decades-long acting career spanning television and film, earning recognition for his work in productions ranging from dramas and comedies to major Hollywood blockbusters. His death has shocked colleagues and fans across the entertainment industry.
