Police say a suspect — the son of Handy’s girlfriend — has been arrested and booked on one count of murder.

James Handy, Jumanji and Top Gun: Maverick actor, fatally stabbed at 81

Police say a suspect — the son of Handy's girlfriend — has been arrested and booked on one count of murder.

By Oliver Gettell

Oliver Gettell

Oliver Gettell is a senior news editor at **. He has been at EW since 2015 and previously worked at the Los Angeles Times.

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and Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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June 4, 2026 9:45 p.m. ET

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James Handy in 'Jumanji'. Credit:

- Actor James Handy has died at 81.

- Handy appeared in movies such as *Top Gun: Maverick* and *Jumanji*, as well as on many TV shows.

- The Los Angeles Police Department said Handy had been stabbed by a suspect who's in custody.

James Handy, the veteran actor known for his work in such films as *Top Gun: Maverick*, *Jumanji*, and *Logan*, was fatally stabbed Wednesday morning at a home in Los Angeles, according to police. He was 81.

Authorities said in a news release Thursday that a suspect is in custody, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, who is the son of Handy's girlfriend.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, West Valley area patrol officers responded to a call regarding unspecified trouble in the Tarzana neighborhood around 9:30 a.m. The 911 caller reportedly stated, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."

Handy was found in the front yard of the home, unconscious with a stab wound to his chest. He was taken to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.

Police alleged Gledhill flagged down nearby responding officers and identified himself as the person they were looking for. He was arrested and taken to Van Nuys Jail, where he was booked on one count of murder, with bail set at $2,000,000. Information about Gledhill's legal representation was not immediately available.

According to authorities, the stabbing is believed to be "an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time."

Handy's agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, confirmed his death in a statement to **.

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"With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy."

No other statement was planned.

Handy's acting credits dated back to 1977, when he appeared on two episodes of *Ryan's Hope*. Throughout the '80s, he was a guest star on TV shows such as *Cagney and Lacey*, *Spenser: For Hire*, and *Matlock*. His film work during that time included *Taps* and* The Verdict.*

He later appeared in movies such as *Arachnophobia *and *The Rocketeer*, as well as a long list of popular series, including *Alias,* *The West Wing*, *Melrose Place,* *NYPD Blue*, *The Practice*, *Walker, Texas Ranger*, and the *Young and the Restless*.

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