Late Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy’s accused killer, Michael Gledhill, has been committed to a treatment center after being deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial for murder.
Court documents obtained exclusively by Us Weekly following a placement recommendation hearing on Tuesday, July 14, confirmed that Gledhill was moved from his previous place of custody to the Department of Mental Health, which will then refer him to the Department of State Hospitals.
His maximum commitment date at the Department of State Hospitals is two years, with the judge noting that Gledhill’s 41 days of custody credit have not been deducted from that date.
While the Department of Mental Health is assessing him, the Department of State Hospitals is “ordered to admit the defendant no later than August 11, 2026.”
A progress hearing in his case will be held in Los Angeles on October 14, but Gledhill is not required to appear, according to the documents. The Department of State Hospitals Director, however, was ordered to prepare and submit a report about his progress on or before the hearing date.
Gledhill’s attorneys, L.A. County Deputy Public Defenders Donna Tryfman and Robert Krauss, tell Us: “The court’s decision to commit Mr. Gledhill to a treatment facility reflects the legal procedures established for situations when an individual is incompetent to stand trial. Such proceedings exist to safeguard the rights of Mr. Gledhill while allowing the criminal process to move forward when appropriate.”
On June 23, Us reported that Gledhill, 44, was ruled to be incompetent to face a murder charge after undergoing a mental health evaluation. Judge Maria Cavalluzzi determined at the time that Gledhill did not understand the case brought against him and thus could not assist his attorneys in his defense, nor could he make responsible medical decisions for himself.
The judge’s June ruling stipulated that Gledhill would be involuntarily medicated for a period of one year to determine whether his condition can be improved through treatment. (Michael’s mother, Wendy Gledhill, who was Handy’s girlfriend, previously told TMZ that her son had been diagnosed with schizophrenia but stopped taking his medication prior to the murder.)
Michael was initially arrested and booked on one count of murder in June. He has not entered a plea.
Following Judge Cavalluzzi’s ruling, Michael’s defense attorneys, LA County Deputy Public Defenders Donna Tryfman and Robert Krauss, told Us on June 23, “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.”
“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,” the attorneys went on. “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.”
Police confirmed on June 3 that the Alias and Profiler star was found dead at age 81 at his Los Angeles home after allegedly being fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son.
“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,” an LAPD statement read. “The victim was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced deceased.”
Handy’s longtime representative later confirmed the actor was the victim.
“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” his spokesperson told Us at the time.
Autopsy results from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner, which Us obtained on July 14, stated that Handy had been involved in a “verbal altercation” with Michael that turned physical.
“The subject dragged him to the side of the house,” the report read. “911 was called and paramedics responded to the scene, initiated life-saving efforts, and transported him to the hospital, where, despite these efforts, death was pronounced on the same date.”
The L.A. Medical Examiner touched on the fatal injuries that Handy sustained, noting that “it is possible [a] neck compression occurred prior to the infliction of the stab wound and may have incapacitated the decedent prior to the stabbing.” (His official cause of death was determined to be multiple traumatic injuries, including a stab wound to the torso and neck compression inflicted by another person.)
Handy had a near 50-year career as a character actor in Hollywood, with memorable roles in the hit films Jumanji, Unbreakable and K-9. His notable TV credits included appearances on Matlock, Melrose Place, NCIS: Los Angeles and Criminal Minds.
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