Four suspects, Robert Barceleau, Leonel Gutiérrez, Sergio Estrada (all 18), and Frank Olano (22), believed to be part of a gang specializing in catalytic converter thefts, were arrested and charged with homicide and accessory to murder in relation to the death of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor.
Wactor, a 37-year-old actor from South Carolina, was fatally shot in the chest on May 25 in Downtown Los Angeles while trying to stop a group from stealing the catalytic converter from his car outside a rooftop bar where he worked.
U.S. Authorities conducted multiple search warrants, recovering evidence linking the suspects to the shooting.
Wactor's death shocked his family, friends, and the entertainment community, leading to a GoFundMe campaign raising over $144,000.
Wactor's mother, Scarlett, offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Johnny's killers and urged for better safety measures in Los Angeles during a press conference.
Johnny's untimely passing has raised discussions about crime awareness and safety in Los Angeles, which has been facing surging crime rates, especially related to property theft.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Fox News, El Mundo, Metro World News, Newsmax, Yahoo, Le Soir, Evrim Ağacı, FOX Los Angeles, Kleine Zeitung, We Are Iowa, Access Online, Primicia, KABC, NBC Los Angeles, Notiulti, Soap Hub, ABC7.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
