Two suspects have been charged with murder amid the investigation into the death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor. Two more individuals have been arrested in connection to the killing.
The charges were announced by Los Angeles County prosecutors during a press conference Monday at the Los Angeles Hall of Justice, held by L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón and interim police chief Dominic Choi, per local outlets such as Fox LA and CBS News.
The suspects charged with murder are Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, both 18 years old. Barceleau’s charge includes a special circumstance allegation of killing in the commission of a robbery; he faces a potential life sentence without parole. Both Barceleau and Estrada also face charges of attempted robbery and grand theft while armed with a firearm.
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Two other suspects remain in custody and face lesser counts. Leonel Gutierrez, 18, has been charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both with allegations that he was armed. Frank Olano, 22, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to the murder, along with charges of receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Wactor was killed May 25 in downtown Los Angeles after walking in on a suspected catalytic converter theft attempt. Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that at least three suspects were served search warrants and taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Suspects were allegedly identified after authorities examined fingerprints left on the car jack that was used to steal Wactor’s catalytic converter.
Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez remain in custody in lieu of $2 million bail each, as does Olano who must post $1 million bail.
Following Wactor’s death, his godmother, Michaelle Kinard, set up a GoFundMe page which earned more than $50,000 in 24 hours. The donation fund now sits at just over $144,000.
“On May 25, my dearest and best friend’s son was murdered. He was the victim of the most senseless crime,” Kinard wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Johnny Wactor, (known to many as Brando Corbin on ‘General Hospital’), was living his dream in L.A. Early Saturday morning, Johnny was leaving his evening job with a coworker when they came upon three guys attempting to steal his catalytic converter. He thought he was going to be towed and said ‘Am I being towed?’ The person stood up with a mask on and said nothing and shot him.”
