James Handy, 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Jumanji' actor, dead at 81

James Handy, a character actor known for roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, was killed Wednesday in a stabbing in Los Angeles. He was 81. Authorities responded to the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the Tarzana area after a caller said, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin." Officers found Handy unconscious in the front yard with multiple stab wounds to the chest; he was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead.

The Los Angeles Police Department identified the suspect as Michael Gledhill, 44, who allegedly waved down officers later and told them he was the person they were looking for. Cops say Gledhill, who had been living with his mother — Handy’s girlfriend — was arrested for murder and held with bail set at $2 million.

It is currently unclear what led to the attack. Handy made his acting debut in 1977 and amassed nearly 150 credits over his career. He appeared in films such as Taps, Arachnophobia and Logan, and on television in shows including Quantum Leap, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue and The X-Files.

james handy, top gun, jumanji, stabbing, los angeles, tarzana, erwin street, michael gledhill, character actor, murder arrest