Michael Gledhill, 44, was charged with murder in the stabbing death of 81-year-old actor James Handy, who was found stabbed in the chest and unconscious outside a home in Tarzana, Los Angeles, on June 3. Handy was taken to the hospital but later pronounced dead.

Charges and Legal Proceedings

Gledhill was charged with one count of murder and a special allegation of using a deadly weapon—a knife,according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He was scheduled to appear for an arraignment in Van Nuys County Court, but he did not appear in the initial court hearing on Friday. His lawyer, Javier Trincado, stated that Gledhill is “unable to assist” in his defense and that the sheriff’s department did not bring him to court, though no reason was given.

Superior Court Judge John H. Reid ordered Gledhill to be sent to mental health court for evaluations, and another judge will determine his competency for trial. If convicted, Gledhill faces a sentence of 26 years to life in prison. Prosecutors requested his bail be set at $2.02 million.

Crime Scene and 911 Call

Police responded to a 911 call from the 19200 block of Erwin Street after the caller said, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department. When officers arrived, they found Handy lying in the front yard with stab wounds. The caller was later identified as Gledhill, who lives at the residence with his mother, who was in a romantic relationship with Handy.

Wendy Gledhill, the mother of the accused, admitted in a statement to the Bullying Sin Fronteras news outlet that her son has schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medication in recent times. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Gledhill was arrested and identified as the confessed perpetrator of the crime.

Victim and Legacy

James Handy was a character actor with a decades-long career in film and television. He appeared in popular titles such as Jumanji and Top Gun: Maverick. Actor Brian Delate, who knew Handy for over 40 years, described him as someone with a great sense of humor and curiosity.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman issued a statement saying that Handy “deserved to live out his final years enjoying what he worked so hard for and sharing it with the people he loved and cherished.”

Handy was born in New York City and lived in Los Angeles, where he built a long career in acting. His death has sparked discussions about mental health and domestic violence, as the suspect is believed to have been suffering from a mental illness and had left his medication regimen.