Current:Home > StocksGeneral Hospital Actor Johnny Wactor's Death: Authorities Arrest 4 People in Connection to Fatal Shooting -ProfitQuest Academy
General Hospital Actor Johnny Wactor's Death: Authorities Arrest 4 People in Connection to Fatal Shooting
View
Date:2025-04-15 17:47:13
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! (8)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Shaun White and Nina Dobrev’s Romance Takes Gold at The Paris Olympics
- Christina Hall Says She Reached “Breaking Point” With “Insecure” Ex Josh Hall Amid Divorce
- Proof That Sandra Bullock's Style Has Always Been Practically Magic
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Site of 3 killings during 1967 Detroit riot to receive historic marker
- Iron coated teeth, venom and bacteria: A Komodo dragon's tool box for ripping apart prey
- Why do dogs eat poop? Reasons behind your pet's behavior and how to stop it
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Why is Russia banned from Paris Olympics? Can Russian athletes compete?
Ranking
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- Rebuilding Rome, the upstate New York city that is looking forward after a destructive tornado
- 2024 Olympics: Why Simone Biles Skipped the Opening Ceremony in Paris
- LeBron James flag bearer: Full (sometimes controversial) history of Team USA Olympic honor
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- MLB trade deadline: Six deals that make sense for contenders
- France’s train network hit by 'massive attack' before Olympics opening ceremony
- Taylor Swift makes unexpected endorsement on her Instagram story
Recommendation
Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
Harris will carry Biden’s economic record into the election. She hopes to turn it into an asset
Leagues Cup soccer schedule: How to watch, what to know about today's opening games
Canada Olympics drone scandal, explained: Why women's national team coach is out in Paris
Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
Former cast member of MTV's '16 and Pregnant' dies at 27: 'Our world crashed'
Water Polo's official hype man Flavor Flav wants to see women win fourth gold
Canada Olympics drone scandal, explained: Why women's national team coach is out in Paris