Arrests Made in Connection With ABC Star's Tragic Murder

Back in late May, ABC fans, and much of Hollywood, were devastated to learn that beloved actor Johnny Wactor had been brutally murdered during an attempted robbery. The General Hospital star was just 37 years old.

In addition to starring as Brando Corbin in General Hospital, Wactor had appeared in a number of other hit shows, including Station 19, The Passenger, Siberia, and Westworld. He also starred in USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016), Sisters of the Groom (2017), and Trapper’s Edge (2023).

Johnny Wactor as Brando Corbin on General Hospital — Credit: Screenshot ‘General Hospital’, ABC

According to reports, Wactor was leaving his bartending job in downtown Los Angeles with a coworker when they saw a group of men by his car. His coworker said that the actor approached the men and realized they were trying to steal his car’s catalytic converter. She said that he was not aggressive and immediately backed off. However, that did not stop one of the men from shooting Wactor before all of them fled the scene.

Wactor’s coworker and a security guard from the bar they worked in did their best to keep the actor alive as they waited for emergency services to arrive. Sadly, nothing could be done, and Mr. Wactor died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest.

A shirtless man with curly hair and a beard is sitting on a rooftop, wearing patterned shorts and colorful shoes. He is eating a slice of watermelon. With trees, houses, and hills in the background under a clear, sunny sky, it's an idyllic scene that makes one forget rumors like "Johnny Wactor dead. — Credit: Johnny Wactor, Instagram

Since his devastating murder, Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, and friends have been begging for anyone to come forward with information about Johnny’s killers. While the police were putting their whole efforts into finding Wactor’s killers, they were reaching a dead end, so they reached out to the public for help.

On August 4, the Los Angeles Police Department released security footage of those suspected of being involved in Wactor’s murder. They released images of the suspects, as well as information on the car the suspects were driving. They also released information on the tattoos the catalytic converter thieves were sporting.

A dark car is parked in a dimly lit parking lot with its doors open. Three people, wearing hooded jackets, are standing outside the vehicle in various positions. Amidst whispers of the tragic ABC Star murder, one person is near the driver's seat, another near the rear, and the third by the front passenger seat. — Credit: Los Angeles Police Department

And their efforts have paid off, and the suspects are finally behind bars.

On August 18, the LAPD shared that four people had been arrested for Wactor’s murder. Three of the men were arrested on charges of murder, and the fourth was arrested on charges of accessory to murder. The men arrested for the fatal shooting were Robert Barceleau, Leonel Gutierrez, and Sergio Estrada. Frank Olano was booked on the accessory charges.

LAPD News: Update on a Central Division Homicide

LAPD News: Update on a Central Division Homicide pic.twitter.com/aGCJa5exbD

— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) August 15, 2024

According to the booking records, Barceleau, Gutierrez, and Olano had their bail set at $2 million each. Records for Estrada were not readily available. The men are young, ranging in age from 18 to 22. Search warrants were released on Thursday and led to the arrests, as well as the recovery of more evidence.

We continue to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Johnny Wactor.