Chilling words were uttered down the phone to police after veteran actor James Handy was stabbed to death outside his Los Angeles home.

The 81-year-old, best known for his role in Top Gun: Maverick, was discovered brutally killed outside his property on Wednesday morning.

Officers received a deeply unsettling emergency call shortly before 9.30am from a man who told dispatchers: "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."

Police rushed to the address in the 19200 block of Erwin Street, where they found Handy unconscious with a stab wound to his chest.

Paramedics rushed the actor to hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The suspect allegedly approached responding officers and identified himself before being detained.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, 44 year old Michael Gledhill, the son of Handy's girlfriend, has been accused of carrying out the fatal attack.

Police confirmed that Gledhill resided at the property with his mother, who had been in a relationship with Handy.

A statement from the LAPD said: "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."

The statement added: "The suspect flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for."

Detectives are continuing their efforts to establish a motive for the killing. Authorities have confirmed the incident was isolated and stated there is no continuing threat to the general public.

Gledhill remains in custody on a $2 million bail while the investigation is ongoing.

Handy enjoyed a remarkable career stretching across more than five decades, amassing credits in some of television's most beloved and recognisable programmes.

Alongside his role in Top Gun: Maverick, he appeared in The X-Files, The West Wing, NYPD Blue and Castle.