The tragic demise of actor Johnny Wactor, a beloved star of 'General Hospital,' was announced on Monday, as the Los Angeles County District Attorney, George Gascón, revealed that four individuals had been indicted for his murder. Wactor, who succumbed to a gunshot wound in May, was a vibrant 37-year-old, his life cut short while walking to his car after a shift behind the bar in downtown Los Angeles on May 25th.
From 2020 to 2022, Wactor enthralled audiences as Brando Corbin on the hit show, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of fans. The perpetrators of this heinous crime—18-year-olds Robert Barceleau, Leonel Gutierrez, and Sergio Estrada, along with 22-year-old Frank Olano—were apprehended on Thursday and formally charged today.
According to reports, Wactor's life was taken while he heroically confronted the suspects, who were allegedly attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a vehicle. Barceleau faces the gravest of charges: murder committed during a robbery, alongside attempted robbery and grand theft. Should he be convicted, the consequences could be life imprisonment, and he is currently detained without the possibility of bail.
Estrada too stands accused of murder, albeit without the aggravating factor of the robbery, along with attempted robbery and grand theft. Gutierrez is charged with attempted robbery and grand theft through embezzlement, while Olano is accused of being an accessory to the murder and receiving stolen property. All four defendants are alleged to have been armed during the incident.
In a statement, Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles expressed her gratitude to the LAPD for their tireless efforts and partnership in the investigation, vowing to relentlessly pursue justice for victims of violence. "We must maintain our aggressive stance to enhance the safety of our city," she emphasized. "Those who engage in criminal activities must face the full consequences of their actions."
