Newly released autopsy documents shed new light on the stabbing death of James Handy, indicating the actor fought for his life before being incapacitated in his final moments.
Those findings indicate the compression may have left the veteran actor unable to defend himself in the moments leading up to the attack or while the attack was taking place.
Handy was stabbed in the torso, injuring the heart and liver, according to the report.
The initial coroner’s report ruled Handy’s death a homicide resulting from multiple traumatic injuries.
On June 3, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a 911 call in the Tarzana neighborhood, where the caller told dispatchers, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Upon arrival, authorities found the “Top Gun: Maverick” actor unconscious in his front yard with life-threatening injuries. He was promptly taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police identified the suspect as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, who resided at the home with his mother, Wendy Gledhill, Handy’s longtime partner.
Investigators believe that after a confrontation between Michael Gledhill and Handy turned physical, the suspect retrieved a knife and returned to attack Handy.
Shortly after the incident, Michael Gledhill flagged down responding officers and said he was the person they were looking for. He was booked on one count of murder with bail set at $2 million.
During a June 22 court hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi ruled that Michael Gledhill was not currently competent to stand trial.
He was ordered to undergo treatment aimed at restoring his competency before the criminal case can proceed, with the judge noting that until he is able to understand his murder case, he cannot rationally assist his attorney in his own defense.
Speaking to TMZ at the time of the incident, Wendy Gledhill said her son has schizophrenia and other mental health issues but had stopped taking his medication.
She told the outlet his condition was diagnosed last year after he became “increasingly paranoid.”
Born in 1945 in New York City, Handy built a decades-long career in Hollywood across film and television.
With more than 150 on-screen productions, he appeared in several blockbusters, including “Arachnophobia,” “Jumanji,” and “The Rocketeer.”
Handy’s other credits include appearances on popular television shows such as “NYPD Blue,” “The X-Files,” “Criminal Minds,” “ER,” “CSI: NY,” and “The West Wing.”
