The suspect called 911 and got himself arrested in charge of murdering 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for his role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”
On Wednesday, around 9:30 am, in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a report of an unknown trouble call from a man who made statements to a 911 dispatcher, police said.
According to the LAPD report, when officers arrived, they found James Handy unconscious in the front yard of the residence, suffering from a stab wound to the chest, according to the LAPD.
He was rushed to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, officials said, where he was pronounced dead. The suspect then flagged down responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for, investigators said.
Police identified the suspect as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill of Tarzana. According to investigators, Gledhill lived at the residence with his mother, who was Handy’s girlfriend.
Gledhill reportedly called 911 himself and declared, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” prompting the emergency response at the home.
On Thursday, a representative of Handy’s talent and management agency told KTLA, “With great sadness, we can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy”.
According to the actor’s IMDb page, the New York City native had been working for decades and had numerous credits. Some of his roles in popular films and television series included “Logan,” “Arachnophobia,” and “Jumanji,” as well as appearances in “9-1-1,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Vegas,” and “CSI: New York.” The deadly incident remains under investigation.