A new report is shedding light on what occurred in the final moments before actor James Handy was allegedly stabbed to death.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, which was obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, July 14, claims that Handy was involved in a “verbal altercation” with girlfriend Wendy Gledhill’s son, Michael Gledhill.
“The verbal altercation turned physical, and the subject dragged him to the side of the house,” the report reads. “9-1-1 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.”
According to the report, “it is possible the neck compression occurred prior to the infliction of the stab wound and may have incapacitated the decedent prior to the stabbing.”
The report further notes that there were small traces of alcohol, but no drugs, found in Handy’s system at the time of his death. Additional examination revealed that he had hepatic steatosis and mediastinal hematoma but no fatal natural diseases.
Handy was killed at a home in Los Angeles in June. He was 81 years old.
According to a death certificate previously obtained by Us, Handy was cremated days after being stabbed. His immediate cause of death was listed as multiple traumatic injuries, including a stab wound to the torso and neck compression inflicted by another. He had no underlying health conditions that contributed to his death.
Michael, 44, was arrested and booked on one count of murder. He has not entered a plea, with his bail set at $2 million. In June, a judge in Los Angeles found Michael mentally incompetent to stand trial after undergoing a mental health evaluation.
Michael’s legal team, L.A. County Deputy Public Defenders Donna Tryfman and Robert Krauss, told Us at the time, “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.”
They continued, “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. 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.”
Last month, Wendy shared that Michael was diagnosed with schizophrenia and claimed that he had stopped taking his medication before Handy’s death.
“I’m just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time,” Wendy said at the time. “I loved James and my son. I can’t believe my son did it.”
