Wendy Gledhill, the girlfriend of James Handy, says the morning of his fatal stabbing on June 3 was just like any other.
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"James had gotten up to get the newspaper at about 9 o'clock, but he didn't make the coffee like he usually does," said Wendy. "I just heard the door open because he was getting the paper."
The actor, best known for his appearances in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, was allegedly murdered by Gledhill's son outside their home in Los Angeles' Tarzana neighborhood.
Then the Day Turned Tragic
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Wendy stayed in bed. She didn't notice anything unusual.
"I can only assume my son was already out there and they started to argue, from my understanding, on the front yard," she said. "I didn't know what was going on. The first time I heard something was happening was when the police showed up."
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, they received a 911 call from someone saying, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."
When officers arrived at the home, they found Handy in the front yard unconscious. He had a stab wound to the chest.
"He was taken to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced dead," a statement read.
James Handy and Gledhill's Son Didn't Get Along
Wendy said that police told her about the 911 call. Authorities would later identify her son, Michael, as the suspect in Handy's murder.
"At first, I didn't know who they were talking about. Then they told me to get away from the door because they thought there was still someone dangerous outside," she said.
Officers said Michael "flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for." He was taken to Van Nuys Jail and booked on suspicion of murder. Bail was set at $2 million.
Wendy shared that Michael was diagnosed with schizophrenia last year. She believed he stopped taking his medication a week before the murder of Handy. Wendy said she didn't know what led to the confrontation between the actor and her son. She added that they didn't always get along.
Wendy hasn't left home since the tragedy, stating that she is "beyond devastated" after the actor's death.
"I was with James for 31 years, and of course I loved him dearly," she shared. "This is so difficult."
