4 Arrested In Shooting Death Of "General Hospital" Actor Johnny Wactor

LOS ANGELES, CA — Police reportedly arrested four men in the slaying of "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor Thursday as warrants were served on members of a street gang that has been in the crosshairs of the Los Angeles Police Department all summer.

The LAPD refused to confirm any arrests Thursday afternoon.

"We are working tirelessly on the case," LAPD spokesman Drake Madison told Patch.

However, due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, the department will not release further information at this time, he said.

Wactor was shot by catalytic converter thieves when he happened upon them at the end of a late-night shift working at the downtown rooftop Level 8 bar/restaurant. When he approached the trio of thieves, one opened fire on the 37-year-old actor at about 3:30 a.m. May 25.

The suspects had Wactor's vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter, police said, adding that Wactor was shot by one of the individuals without provocation.

According to The Los Angeles Times, fingerprints lifted from a floor jack used in the theft led police to three suspects— Robert Barceleau, Sergio Estrada and Leonel Gutierrez. They are believed to be tied to Florencia 13, a street gang known for catalytic converter theft, the Times reported.

Barceleau, 18, of Huntington Park; Estrada, 18; and Gutierrez, 18, were all booked on suspicion of murder. Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to the killing.

Jail records showed both Barceleau, Gutierrez and Olano all being held in lieu of $2 million bail. There was no record of Estrada in the jail system as of late Thursday afternoon.

TV news footage showed police conducting an operation in South Los Angeles Thursday morning, with neighbors telling reporters that officers distributed informational flyers in the neighborhood about the Wactor investigation several days ago in hopes of generating tips.

One neighbor told KTLA5 the people at the home where arrests were made Thursday have long been problematic for the neighborhood, even stealing catalytic converters from vehicles parked on that street.

On Tuesday, relatives and friends of Wactor gathered at Los Angeles City Hall to call for anyone with information about his death to come forward.

"Grief is my constant companion," Wactor's mother, Scarlett, said on the steps of City Hall. "He promised me he'd be here with me today. I can't wish him happy birthday on August 31st. He would have been 38. I can't ask if he's coming home for Christmas. I can't ask how his day went, if he's gonna climb. I don't get any of those things anymore because of what these people did."

Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department released surveillance photos of the suspects believed to have killed Wactor, along with images of an allegedly stolen vehicle the suspects are believed to have escaped in.

Police said the three suspects drove away from the scene in a stolen 2018 black, four-door Infiniti Q50 with tan-colored interior. The suspects, all wearing dark clothing, drove away from the scene northbound on Hope Street. One of the suspects had a tattoo above the left eye and on the right cheek, police said.

Paramedics rushed Wactor to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Catalytic converters are popular targets for thieves because they are rich in precious metals that can be resold.

Wactor appeared on nearly 200 episodes of "General Hospital" from 2020-22. His other credits included "Westworld," "The OA," "NCIS," "Station 19," "Criminal Minds" and "Hollywood Girl."

Last week a federal grand jury indictment revealed a massive Los Angeles County gang crackdown involving 37 defendants, 23 of whom were arrested Aug. 6 on charges including murder, fentanyl trafficking and extortion.

The target in that raid was also Florencia 13, a gang that has grown in size and power in recent years, earning police srutiny in connection with Wactor's death and the robbery shooting of an off-duty LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos in 2022.

As part of that investigation, law enforcement allegedly seized nearly 21 pounds of methamphetamine, nine pounds of fentanyl and 6.5 pounds of heroin. Authorities also have seized 25 firearms and about $70,000 in cash connected to the investigation, prosecutors said.

“Florencia-13 is known for its barbaric tactics which, tragically, resulted in several murders alleged in the indictment,” said Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Residents of the community in which Florencia-13 operates deserve to live their lives without fear from violence and extortion, and this joint investigation demonstrates our shared commitment to that goal.”

Anyone with information about the suspects in Wactor's death is urged to call the LAPD's Central Station at 213-486-6606. During business hours, LAPD homicide detectives can be reached at 213-996-4143 or 213-996-4173.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.