Two Charged With Murder In Johnny Wactor Death – Update

UPDATED, 2:15 PM: Four people arrested in the killing of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor have now been charged, two of them with murder, according to Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Eighteen-year-old Robert Barceleau of Huntington Park, and Sergio Estrada, also 18, both have been charged with murder. Barceleau’s charge includes a special circumstance allegation of killing in the commission of a robbery, with a potential sentence of life in prison without parole. He’s also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

Estrada’s charge does not include the special circumstance allegation. He’s also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, both while armed with a firearm.

Leonel Gutierrez, 18, is charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both while armed. The fourth suspect, Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to the killing, along with receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Wactor was killed in the early-morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers attempting to steal the car’s catalytic converter.

PREVIOUS, August 15: The LAPD said Thursday afternoon that it arrested four people in connection with its investigation into the killing of General Hospital star Johnny Wactor.

Police said they conducted search warrants leading to the arrests of Robert Barceleau (date of birth: May 1, 2006, a resident of Huntington Park), Leonel Gutierrez (DOB: December 17, 2005, a resident of Los Angeles County) and Sergio Estrada (DOB: May 12, 2006, a resident of Los Angeles County), all booked on an arrest warrant for murder. Frank Olano (DOB: February, 15, 2002, a resident of Inglewood) was booked on an arrest warrant for Accessory.

Evidence was also recovered in the operation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Bureau Homicide.

Wactor was shot and killed in May after he confronted robbers attempting to steal his car’s catalytic converter.

PREVIOUSLY, Thursday AM: Los Angeles police on Thursday detained multiple suspects in connection with the killing of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor earlier this year, a law enforcement source tells Deadline.

Several search warrants were served earlier today and about a half dozen or so suspects were taken into custody, we were told.

Wactor was killed in the early-morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers attempting to steal the car’s catalytic converter. Police say the suspects fled the scene in a stolen 2018 black Infiniti Q50. 

The investigation has been focusing on Florencia 13 gang members tied to catalytic converter thefts in the region, the Los Angeles Times reported citing sources.

As part of its investigation, the LAPD earlier this month released photos of the alleged suspects and the getaway vehicle.

His death sparked an outpouring of reaction from the community, with dozens attending a rally in June demanding justice. L.A. District Attorney chief deputy Joseph Iniguez told the crowd at the time that the major crimes division was working with Central Bureau homicide detectives on the case, saying, “We have a number of leads.”

Wactor, 37, played Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of General Hospital during the years 2020-2022.