James Handy stabbed to death: Girlfriend’s son charged with murder; judge to decide if he is competent for trial after psychological evaluations
Michael Gledhill has been charged with murder of ‘Jumanji’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ actor James Handy.Michael Gledhill, was charged after police say officers found the 81-year-old Handy stabbed in the chest and unconscious outside his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Handy was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead.
Judge to decide if Michael Gledhill is fit for trial
Gledhill did not appear at an arraignment Friday afternoon in Los Angeles Superior Court and no plea was entered for him. Superior Court Judge John H. Reid ordered that he be sent to mental health court and to undergo psychological evaluations. Another judge will then decide whether he is competent for trial.Gledhill’s lawyer, Javier Trincado, told the judge that the sheriff’s department decided Gledhill should not be brought to the courtroom, but did not provide a reason. Trincado remained in court on other cases and was not immediately able to comment.
Murder accused had schizophrenia
As per TMZ, Wendy Gledhill told the portal that her son has been struggling with ‘serious mental health issues’ and laimed that he was also diagnosed with schizophrenia. According to Wendy, her 44-year-old son Michael had become increasingly paranoid and had been prescribed medication for his condition after his July 2025 diagnosis. However, she says she recently learned he had stopped taking his meds about a week before cops found James stabbed to death outside her home.
Wendy Gledhill apologises to Handy family
In a statement to TMZ, Wendy offered a message to James’ family, saying, “They know I loved him so much. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry this happened. I’m still in shock. I still can’t comprehend it.”When asked if Michael should spend the rest of his life in prison, she reportedly told TMZ that he should not be ‘where he can hurt anyone else’.
Police reveal chilling 911 call
Authorities say Gledhill was arrested after telling police he was the person they were looking for. Police had responded to the home after a 911 caller stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” according to the department.Michael, who is Handy’s girlfriend’s son and lives at the home with his mother, told officers that he was the person they were looking for, according to police. He was booked on suspicion of one count of murder, according to police. His bail was set at $2 million, according to jail records.
About James Handy
Born in New York, Handy appeared in films and TV shows for decades. He was a character actor in films and on TV for decades, including appearances in a variety of television crime procedurals.He was known for his role as an exterminator in the 1995 film “Jumanji” and more recently as the bartender Jimmy in the 2022 film “Top Gun: Maverick,” according to IMDB. He’s also appeared in some of the top TV crime dramas, including “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “The Closer” and “Cold Case.”
