Police have arrested four people in connection with the murder of General Hospital star Johnny Wactor. Robert Barceleau, Leonel Gutierrez, and Sergio Estrada, all 18 years old, were arrested for the murder, while alleged accomplice Frank Olano is accused of being an accessory to the crime. They are held on $2 million bail.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) searched the suspects’ homes to gather evidence but did not publicly reveal any details about what they found. Media reports indicate that the four men are gang members who intended to steal a catalytic converter from a Los Angeles vehicle but were interrupted by Mr. Wactor.
The incident happened as the actor returned home from a bar-tending nightshift in downtown Los Angeles early on May 25. Police believe Wactor encountered the alleged thieves and attempted to intervene before they shot him dead. Officers also explained that Wactor was accompanied by a female co-worker and pushed her out of harm’s way when the alleged robbers attacked.
The killers subsequently fled the scene in a car, and police appealed for help in locating them. CCTV allowed officers to obtain images of the suspects, which they released to the press in August.
Mr. Wactor, from South Carolina, starred in the daytime soap opera General Hospital from 2020 until 2022 and was beloved by its fans. He also made guest appearances in other major programs, including NCIS, Westworld, and Station 19. At a recent press conference, his mother described her sorrow at losing her 37-year-old son and said, “Grief is my constant companion.”
The actor’s agent, David Shaul, described his client as a positive person who “always kept his chin up” and strived to be the best person he could be. At the time of his death, tributes from General Hospital co-stars poured onto social media, and the soap’s producers issued a statement saying the “General Hospital family” was devastated to hear of Wactor’s death. “He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day,” the statement read.
