Deceased Actor James Handy Was ‘Very Humble and Kind' Recalls Neighbor of Handy’s Girlfriend (Exclusive)

Charna Flam, Danielle BacherSat, June 6, 2026 at 4:08 AM UTC

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James Handy in "NYPD Blue" on January 17, 1995.Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty -

James Handy was fatally stabbed in the Los Angeles home of his girlfriend, Wendy Gledhill

Her son, Michael Gledhill, has been arrested in connection with Handy's death

Neighbors spoke to PEOPLE about Handy and Wendy as a "very nice" couple

The neighbors of Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy are speaking out about his relationship with Wendy Gledhill.

Handy was fatally stabbed on Wednesday, June 3, at his Los Angeles home. Wendy's son, Michael Gledhill, has been arrested in connection with Handy's death, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Michael lived with Wendy and Handy.

The LAPD claimed an individual called 911 and said, "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin." Gledhill allegedly flagged down responding officers and told them he was who they were looking for.

Then on Friday, June 5, Michael was charged with one count of murder, along with a special allegation that he personally used a deadly weapon, a knife, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He is facing 26 years to life in prison.

Superior Court Judge John H. Reid ordered that Michael be transferred to mental health court and undergo psychological evaluations. He is being held on $2.02 million bail. Michael's next court appearance is scheduled for June 22.

PEOPLE spoke exclusively with Wendy's neighbor, Aaron Titelman, who called Handy and Wendy "the nice neighbors around the corner that had the cat that likes to pay a visit." Titelman, 57, says that Handy had lived with Wendy for at least three years but did not know that Michael also lived there.

He shares that Handy was a big Mets fan and a "very humble and kind" man who was a "really solid person." Titelman says the actor was "just a down-to-earth type of dude, just wanted to talk baseball and the cats."

"They're just always really friendly, just like most of the neighbors around here," he says, sharing that they are "good people and always welcoming and friendly."

"I was lucky I had the chance to at least interact with them," Titelman says. "I really regret the fact that I didn't take advantage and just see him one last time. Life's too short."

Titelman calls Handy's death a "terrible shock," explaining, "You hear about these things in the news, and it never happens to someone that you know, but this one definitely landed at our back doorstep."

James Handy in "Jumanji"Credit: Netflix

Next-door neighbor Jerry Merrill tells PEOPLE that he saw a pair of "bloody pants on the sidewalk," but did not know whether the pants were Michael's or Handy's.

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Merrill, 56, and his family moved next door to Wendy, Michael and Handy around two and a half years ago, but he had his first interaction with Michael six months ago, which he described as a "confrontation."

"On occasion, I would go to help bring garbage bins out and back, and he would see me and duck into the house and be avoided," Merrill says, explaining he would see Michael walking around the neighborhood by himself.

Merrill was at work at the time of the killing, but tells PEOPLE he has seen the footage of Michael walking around the neighborhood after the stabbing.

"It was a pretty common occurrence for him to just sort of walk around the neighborhood. So on this particular occasion, something horrible had happened, and he was just living in his own space and taking his walk around the neighborhood."

James Handy in "Top Gun: Maverick"Credit: Paramount

He explains that the entire situation is "shocking" and "horrible." Merrill says he keeps thinking of Wendy. "I cannot even imagine what she must be going through."

"That's her baby. She gave birth to this little baby boy [and] was all excited," he says. "And now that story has come to an end, as [she] raised a murderer," Merrill says. "The other man in her life is dead as a result. It's horrible. It's really bad."

James Handy in "Alias"Credit: ABC

He says he knew Handy and Wendy as "the nice couple next door." Merrill notes that he wasn't aware that Handy was an actor, and appeared in some of his "favorite films."

"I loved his work. I love the films that he was in. So, that, that bothers me too because I, I love, I love industry people. It's a beautiful thing, what we do, we try to create."

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Hours prior, Wendy explained to California Post that she's in disbelief. "I'm just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time," Wendy told the paper. "I loved James and my son. I still can't believe it."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”