Two men have been charged with the murder of Johnny Wactor, a prominent actor in the General Hospital TV Show, the LA District Attorney unveiled on Monday.
Mr Wactor, 37, was shot dead on May 25 after he challenged the three men who were attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his car. Described by the police, Wactor was with his coworker, crossing the parking lot and heading to the car after he finished work at the rooftop bar situated in downtown LA. One of the men, without any reason, started to shoot, thereby killing Wactor.
The tragedy is that the world has lost a talented young actor who had a long way to go; The actor was not even thirty years old,’ – commented the Head of the district attorney office of the city and county of Los Angeles, George Gascón, at the press conference.
All four accused, Robert Barceleau, 18, Sergio Estrada, 18, Leonel Gutierrez, 18, and Frank Olano, 22, were apprehended last Thursday. On Monday this week, Gascón released the charges against them.
Barceleau and Estrada were arrested with murder, grand theft, and attempted robbery. Special circumstances comprise murder during an attempted robbery and personal use of a firearm, which attract life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in the event Barceleau’s charges are proven. The charges preferred against Estrada attract a penalty of life imprisonment.
Both Gutierrez and Olano have been arrested and charged with grand theft, attempted robbery, and being an accessory after the fact, respectively.
To date, it has not been established if the suspects had hired the services of any lawyer. A request for comment sent to the county’s public defender’s office was not immediately responded to by email.
This kind of crime has led to the emergence of advocacy for harsh crime policies in Los Angeles, especially following the demise of Wactor. Friends and relatives who call themselves ‘Justice for Johnny’ staged a rally last Wednesday to appeal for a faster investigation. Yet another demonstration was called on Monday to urge the authorities to pursue the suspects vigorously.
Senior police and public security officials sought to reassure the public that they mean business. Interim LAPD chief Dominic Choi described the investigation as a “relentless pursuit” in what he added was a “very difficult case. ”
“I want to express my gratitude to the LAPD for their efforts and contribution in the course of the investigation but also for their service in ensuring that the people of Los Angeles remain protected and that justice prevails for victims of violence,” Mayor Karen Bass said. “For one, we must keep insisting that a change be made to make our city safer.
Those who infamously pull off crimes must be insured to pay for it in full.
Barceleau is being detained without any possibility to pay the bail, while Estrada’s bail is $1,006,305.
