James Handy’s death certificate reveals new insight after his fatal stabbing.
The death certificate, obtained exclusively by Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 23, shows The Top Gun: Maverick actor, 81, was cremated on June 17, just days after his girlfriend Wendy Gledhill’s son, Michael Gledhill, allegedly stabbed him to death on June 3.
Handy’s immediate cause of death was listed as multiple traumatic injuries, including a stab wound to the torso and neck compression inflicted by another.
The death certificate also revealed that Handy had no underlying health conditions that contributed to his passing.
His time of death was listed as 10:48 a.m.
As Us previously reported, a judge in Los Angeles found Michael, 44, mentally incompetent to stand trial on Monday, June 22, after he underwent a mental health evaluation.
Judge Maria Cavalluzzi ruled that Michael cannot understand the case against him and is therefore unable to assist his lawyer in his defense.
Judge Cavalluzzi also signed an order ruling that Michael can be involuntarily medicated for a year after determining he cannot make proper medication decisions and following a psychiatrist’s recommendation that his mental health could be improved with the proper prescriptions.
Michael’s legal team, LA County Deputy Public Defenders Donna Tryfman and Robert Krauss told Us, “The constitutional guarantee of due process demands that criminal cases proceed only when a defendant is competent to participate. The court’s finding that Michael Gledhill is presently incompetent to assist counsel in his criminal proceedings is not a determination of guilt or innocence. The court’s ruling means that treatment and restoration efforts will now take priority before the criminal case can move forward.”
They continued, “While the allegations in this matter remain extremely serious, the legal process must continue in a manner that is both just and consistent with constitutional protections. Nothing about the court’s finding regarding competency diminishes the seriousness of the loss or the pain experienced by those who knew and loved Mr. Handy.”
Wendy shared last month that her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She claimed he had stopped taking his medication and was struggling with his mental health before Handy’s murder.
“I’m just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time,” Wendy said at the time. “I loved James and my son. I can’t believe my son did it.”
Police revealed the actor was killed at a home in Los Angeles after allegedly being stabbed by Michael.
“On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, around 9:30 a.m., West Valley area patrol officers responded to a radio call of unknown trouble in the 19200 block of Erwin Street. The 911 caller stated, ‘I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.’ Upon their arrival, officers discovered 81-year-old James Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest,” a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department read. “The victim was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced deceased.”
Michael was arrested and booked on one count of murder. He has not entered a plea, and his bail is set at $2 million.
Besides playing a bartender in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, Handy also starred as an exterminator in the 1995 classic Jumanji and appeared in TV shows like NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills, 90210, Law & Order, Profiler, The Young and the Restless and 9-1-1.
“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” Handy’s spokesperson told Us in a statement following the tragedy.
Michael’s next court date is scheduled for July 14, during which the judge will determine his long-term placement.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.usmagazine.com ’
