The investigation into James Handy’s fatal stabbing now includes alleged surveillance footage showing the suspect walking away from the area before returning to the home, according to a new report.
The veteran character actor, known for roles in Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji, Logan, and NYPD Blue, died after being stabbed at a Tarzana home on Wednesday, June 3. TMZ reported that a Ring-camera video obtained by FOX 11 appears to show the suspect, believed to be 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, walking along a sidewalk in front of a neighbor’s home after leaving the scene.
The outlet reported that the man in the video later returned to the house where Handy was stabbed. The footage adds a new visual detail to a case already marked by a disturbing 911 call and an arrest at the scene.
The Video Reportedly Shows the Suspect Leaving the Area
@thesun Chilling doorbell footage has captured a man casually strolling past the home of veteran actor James Handy after the star was killed. The 81-year-old Top Gun: Maverick star was found with multiple stab wounds outside his Los Angeles home after his girlfriend’s son told cops in a 911 call: “I just killed the man.” Tap above for more. #JamesHandy #TopGunMaverick #TrueCrime #LosAngeles #BreakingNews ♬ original sound – The Sun
TMZ reported that the clip appears to show the man walking down the sidewalk away from the home after the stabbing. The New York Post also reported that footage showed Gledhill walking away from the area before later returning.
The video has not changed the legal status of the case. Gledhill has been arrested on suspicion of murder, but he has not been convicted. The footage should be treated as alleged evidence in an ongoing investigation.
According to TMZ, Gledhill later called 911 and told dispatchers, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
That same line was included in the Los Angeles Police Department account reported by ABC7. Police said officers responded around 9:30 a.m. to a call of “unknown trouble” in the Tarzana neighborhood.
Police Found Handy in the Front Yard
ABC7 reported that officers arrived at the home and found Handy unconscious in the front yard with a stab wound to his chest. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police identified the suspect as Michael Gledhill, a 44-year-old Tarzana resident. ABC7 reported that Gledhill lived at the home with his mother, who was Handy’s girlfriend.
The LAPD said the suspect flagged down responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for. NBC Los Angeles also reported that Gledhill was arrested on suspicion of murder and that bail was set at $2 million.
A motive has not been released. NBC Los Angeles reported that it was not immediately clear whether Gledhill had an attorney.
Handy’s Representatives Confirmed His Death
Handy’s talent agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, confirmed his death in a statement to NBC Los Angeles.
“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” she said.
Handy was 81. He built a long career as a character actor whose face was familiar across film and television even when viewers did not know his name.
In Top Gun: Maverick, he played Jimmy, the bartender at Penny Benjamin’s bar. In Jumanji, he appeared as the exterminator. His other film credits included Logan, Arachnophobia, The Rocketeer, The Verdict, and Taps.
He Had More Than 100 Screen Credits
ABC7 reported that Handy had more than 100 acting credits across a career that spanned decades.
His television work included NYPD Blue, The West Wing, Alias, Law & Order, NCIS: Los Angeles, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, ER, The X-Files, and Castle.
NBC Los Angeles reported that fellow actor and friend Dan Lauria remembered Handy as a consistent actor and a supportive friend to veterans. Lauria said Handy had served in Vietnam and found an important second life through acting.
The new surveillance report gives the case another detail, but the confirmed public facts remain narrow: Handy was fatally stabbed, Gledhill was arrested on suspicion of murder, police have not released a motive, and investigators are continuing to examine what happened at the Tarzana home.