In a series of early morning raids, Los Angeles police arrested four people Thursday in connection with the killing of former “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor.
Wactor, 37, was shot was shot around 3:30 a.m. May 25 after encountering three people trying to steal the catalytic converter from his parked car.
Robert Barceleau, 18, of Huntington Park, Sergio Estrada, 18, and Leonel Gutierrez, 18, were all booked on suspicion of murder. Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to the killing.
Jail records showed Barceleau, Gutierrez and Olano all being held in lieu of $2 million bail. There was no record of Estrada in the jail system as of late Thursday afternoon.
A close friend of Wactor’s, Micah Parker, told reporters outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters that officers called the victim’s mother Thursday and informed her that multiple arrests had been made, with more details expected to be released Monday.
Police initially had been tight-lipped early Thursday on reports that arrests were being made in connection.
TMZ reported that fingerprints found at the crime scene helped lead to the suspects. The Los Angeles Times, citing an affidavit in support of a search warrant, reported that police targeted Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez because their fingerprints were allegedly found on a floor jack they used while trying to steal the catalytic converter.
Olano’s role in the case remained unclear.
Television news footage showed officers serving a warrant Thursday morning in the area of 62nd Street and Wilton Place in South Los Angeles. The L.A. Times reported that the probe was targeting a specific street gang tied to catalytic converter thefts.
Neighbors told reporters that officers had distributed flyers in the neighborhood about the Wactor investigation several days ago in hopes of generating tips.
One resident told KTLA5 the people at the home targeted by police Thursday morning have long been problematic for the neighborhood, and were thought to have stolen catalytic converters from vehicles parked on their street.
Wactor had been walking with a co-worker toward his parked car downtown near Hope Street and Pico Boulevard after finishing his bartending shift at the nearby Level 8 bar/restaurant.
Police said the pair encountered a crew trying to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s car. The suspects had the vehicle raised up with a floor jack, police said, adding that Wactor was shot by one of the individuals without provocation.
On Tuesday, relatives and friends of Wactor gathered at Los Angeles City Hall to call for anyone with information about his death to come forward.
“Grief is my constant companion,” Wactor’s mother, Scarlett, said on the steps of City Hall. “He promised me he’d be here with me today. I can’t wish him happy birthday on August 31st. He would have been 38. I can’t ask if he’s coming home for Christmas. I can’t ask how his day went, if he’s gonna climb. I don’t get any of those things anymore because of what these people did.”
Last week, the LAPD released surveillance photos of the suspects believed to have killed Wactor, along with images of an allegedly stolen vehicle the suspects are believed to have used in their escape.
Police described the vehicle as a 2018 black, four-door Infiniti Q50 with tan-colored interior. The suspects, all wearing dark clothing, fled northbound on Hope Street. One had a tattoo above the left eye and on the right cheek, police said.
Paramedics rushed Wactor to a hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Catalytic converters are popular targets for thieves because they are rich in precious metals that can be resold.
Wactor appeared on nearly 200 episodes of “General Hospital” from 2020-22. His other credits included “Westworld,” “The OA,” “NCIS,” “Station 19,” “Criminal Minds” and “Hollywood Girl.”
Anyone with information about the suspects was urged to call the LAPD’s Central Station at 213-486-6606. During business hours, LAPD homicide detectives can be reached at 213-996-4143 or 213-996-4173.
– City News Service
Updated 6:45 p.m. Aug. 15, 2024
