Current:Home > ContactGeneral Hospital Actor Johnny Wactor's Death: Authorities Arrest 4 People in Connection to Fatal Shooting -Wealth Evolution Experts
General Hospital Actor Johnny Wactor's Death: Authorities Arrest 4 People in Connection to Fatal Shooting
View
Date:2025-04-12 05:25:34
Authorities have made multiple arrests in connection to the shooting death of Johnny Wactor.
The Los Angeles Police Department took four people into custody Aug. 15 as part of the investigation into the General Hospital actor’s homicide, according to a news release.
Robert Barceleau, 18, Leonel Gutierrez, 18, and Sergio Estrada, 18, were booked on arrest warrants for murder, while 22-year-old Frank Olano was booked on a warrant for accessory after the fact, per police.
E! News was unable to determine if the four had obtained lawyers to speak on their behalf.
Wactor was shot and killed May 25 in downtown L.A. after discovering thieves tampering with a car, his mother told NBC Los Angeles at the time.
Officers responded to a report of a shooting at 3:25 a.m. to find Wactor suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, per an LAPD press release. The soap star was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"Based on witness statements, Wactor had ended his shift as a bartender at a local bar and walked to his vehicle," read a May 28 press release from the LAPD. "When Wactor arrived at his vehicle, he was confronted by three individuals who had Wactor’s vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter. Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals."
Police said the three suspects fled the scene in a dark sedan.
Wactor’s coworker Anita Joy later detailed the 37-year-old’s heroic final moments in the wake of his death, sharing that they were leaving the bar together when they came across the men.
"We cautiously approached the men, questioning what they were doing, at first thinking the car was being towed," she wrote on Instagram on May 29. "We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave. Hands open to his sides in peace."
Wactor stood in front of her to shield her from the perpetrators, but in an "instant" she said they were attacked.
"As I heard the shot ring into the night, he forcefully tumbled back into my arms," she recalled. "As I grabbed for him, I shouted 'Hunny you ok?!' And he only responded, 'Nope! Shot!' We toppled onto the street where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body up while screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with me."
Joy said she watched her friend of eight years die in her arms, adding she’s “utterly heartbroken and so very angry” over his passing.
"My only peace is that I was with him and this didn't happen to him alone,” she wrote. “My only other peace will be seeing these awful men brought to justice."
Read on to look back on his life in photos.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (76)
Related
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Chicago’s response to migrant influx stirs longstanding frustrations among Black residents
- Pesticides pose a significant risk in 20% of fruits and vegetables, Consumer Reports finds
- Sweeping gun legislation approved by Maine lawmakers following Lewiston mass shooting
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers cleared by NFL after investigation
- Bryan Kohberger's attorneys claim cellphone data shows he was not at home where murders took place
- Meta’s newest AI model beats some peers. But its amped-up AI agents are confusing Facebook users
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Ex-Indianapolis elementary teacher orchestrated 'fight club'-style disciplinary system, lawsuit says
Ranking
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Convenience store chain where Biden bought snacks while campaigning hit with discrimination lawsuit
- Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan Rekindle Romance With Miami Beach Date
- Pennsylvania House Dems propose new expulsion rules after remote voting by lawmaker facing a warrant
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Jawbone of U.S. Marine killed in 1951 found in boy's rock collection, experts say
- Ashanti and Nelly are engaged and expecting their first child together
- Canadian police charge 9 suspects in historic $20 million airport gold heist
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
Prince William returns to official duties following Princess Kate's cancer revelation: Photos
Ex-Indianapolis elementary teacher orchestrated 'fight club'-style disciplinary system, lawsuit says
Jimmy Kimmel mocks Donald Trump for Oscars rant, reveals he may now host ceremony again
Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
Musicians pay tribute to Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts after death at 80
Judge hears testimony in man’s bid for a new trial for girl’s 1988 killing
Georgia governor signs income tax cuts as property tax measure heads to November ballot