Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy killed in Tarzana stabbing

James Handy, the veteran actor seen in Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji and dozens of television roles, was killed in a stabbing Wednesday morning in Tarzana, Los Angeles. He was 81.

Los Angeles Police Department officers responded around 9:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026, to a radio call of unknown trouble in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley. When officers arrived, they found Handy in the front yard of a residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to the chest. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics took him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police identified the suspect as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, a Tarzana resident. Investigators said Gledhill lived at the home with his mother, who was Handy’s girlfriend. He was booked on one count of murder, and bail was set at $2 million.

The LAPD said the 911 caller told dispatchers, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.” Police also said Gledhill flagged down nearby officers and told them he was the person they were looking for. Detectives said they believe the killing was an isolated incident and there was no danger to the public.

Handy’s screen work stretched across film and television. His credits included Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji, Logan, Arachnophobia, The Rocketeer, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Verdict and K-9. On television, he played Arthur Devlin in eight episodes of Alias and had recurring roles on Melrose Place and NYPD Blue. Born in New York, Handy’s first screen credit came in 1977’s Taps, and his career ultimately spanned more than 100 acting credits across film and television.

Authorities asked anyone with information to contact the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Section detectives Simonyan or Lopez, or the LA Regional Crime Stoppers tip line.