L.A. police reportedly arrest multiple suspects in fatal shooting of actor Johnny Wactor
08/15/2024 12:52 pm PDT
LOS ANGELES (TCN) -- Police have reportedly issued warrants and arrested several people in connection with the May killing of "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor, who was shot in downtown Los Angeles as he walked to his car after work.
According to KABC-TV, which cites law enforcement sources, the arrests occurred Thursday, Aug. 15. The issuing of the warrants and likelihood of arrests was also confirmed by ABC News.
The Los Angeles Times reports Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) investigators obtained a probable cause warrant to arrest Robert Barceleau, Sergio Estrada, and Leonel Gutierrez. The men are reportedly members of the Florencia 13 gang, which is linked to catalytic converter thefts in the area. The suspects' fingerprints were reportedly found on a floor jack they used while allegedly attempting to steal Wactor’s catalytic converter.
Video taken by KTLA-TV shows several police cars blocking a street that the suspects reportedly live on.
Wactor was fatally shot on May 25 at 3:25 a.m. near Hope Street and Pico Boulevard after he left work at a local bar. The LAPD said Wactor was with a co-worker when he got to his car and saw it had been raised up on a floor jack. Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, told "True Crime News" host Ana Garcia that Wactor believed the men were towing his car.
Wactor asked the men if they were moving his car, and one of the men was masked. He stepped back to protect his co-worker, Anita Joy, but then the suspect "shot him point-blank in the heart."
Wactor died in Joy’s arms.
The LAPD described the shooting as occurring "without provocation." The suspects then fled in a dark sedan.
Police shared photos of the suspects on Aug. 4. The car they drove off in was reportedly a stolen Infiniti Q50.
Joy told "True Crime News" and "Extra" in a statement, "We are all in knots just hoping and praying these are the right guys, arrests are made, and convictions take place."
The arrests come just days after Scarlett Wactor and some of Wactor’s close friends spoke at a press conference about the case.
Wactor’s acting credits included playing Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of "General Hospital."
Scarlett Wactor's full interview with Ana Garcia was part of "True Crime News," which premieres Sept. 9. You can check out local listings here.
MORE:
- Search warrants issued, gang targeted in killing of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor - Los Angeles Times
- Johnny Wactor’s Mother Recalls FINAL Conversation Before His Murder - Extra
- Early Morning Homicide in Central Division, 5/28/2024 - Los Angeles Police Department
- Arrests of gang members imminent in Johnny Wactor slaying, reports say - KTLA
- Attempt to Identify - Los Angeles Police Department
- Multiple suspects detained in fatal shooting of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor, sources say - KABC
- Police make multiple arrests tied to fatal shooting of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor: Sources - ABC News