US actor James Handy, known for appearances in films and television series including Jumanji and Top Gun: Maverick, has died after being stabbed at his home in Los Angeles, according to police.
The 81-year-old was found unconscious in the front garden of his residence in Tarzana, California, on Wednesday. Authorities said he had suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest after officers responded to a 911 call reporting “unknown trouble”.
Police have arrested 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, the son of Handy’s girlfriend, on suspicion of murder. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Gledhill later approached responding officers and identified himself as the person involved. Officers also reported that the initial emergency call included the statement: “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Handy, born in New York, built a long acting career spanning more than six decades, with roles across film and television including NYPD Blue, CSI: NY, Law & Order, The X Files, NCIS, The West Wing and Murder, She Wrote. His final on-screen appearance was in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), where he played a bartender named Jimmy. Police say the case is being treated as isolated, with no ongoing threat to the public, and the suspect remains in custody on a $2m bail.
