TRAGIC LOSS

Coroner Reveals ‘Top Gun’ Star’s Final Moments

Newly released records detail the fatal confrontation that ended the veteran actor’s life.

A coroner has revealed that the slain Top Gun: Maverick star James Handy was choked before he was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, according to a report obtained by TMZ. Authorities say the June 3 slaying began as an argument on the porch of the home of Handy’s daughter in Los Angeles. Authorities say Michael Gledhill, 44, attacked the 81-year-old actor, then returned with a knife and stabbed him multiple times in the torso. Handy was rushed to a hospital, but could not overcome his injuries. Gledhill later called 911, eerily saying, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.” He later surrendered to officers at the scene, police said. Gledhill has been charged with murder and is undergoing a mental competency evaluation. A motive for the slaying has not been established. Over a career spanning five decades, Handy amassed roughly 150 acting credits as a regular on the big screen and on television, including appearances on Jumanji, Arachnophobia, The West Wing, The X-Files, and Criminal Minds.