Current:Home > reviewsMan pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing -MoneyStream
Man pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing
View
Date:2025-04-18 07:38:29
One of the four people charged in connection to the death of "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor has entered a guilty plea in the case.
Leonel Gutierrez, 18, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and grand theft, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. Gutierrez, who is free on $120,000 bond, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 1.
According to the Los Angeles Times and CBS News, Gutierrez faces up to four years and eight months in prison with his current charges.
Wactor, who was best known for his role as Brando Corbin on "General Hospital," died from a gunshot wound to the chest in downtown Los Angeles on May 25. He was 37.
The cases against alleged conspirators Robert Barceleau, 18; Sergio Estrada, 18 and Frank Olano, 22, are pending. They have all pleaded not guilty to felony charges and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing setting on Oct. 16.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The four men were arrested on Aug. 14. Barceleau – who allegedly shot Wactor in the chest, per investigators – and Estrada were each charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted robbery and one count of grand theft.
Olano was charged with one count of accessory after the fact to murder, one count of receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted under the current charges, Barceleau faces life in prison without parole. Estrada faces a maximum of life in prison. Gutierrez faces four years, eight months in prison, and Olano faces five years, eight months in prison.
Johnny Wactor's mom: 'Grief is my constant companion'
Wactor was shot around 3 a.m. May 25 during an attempted catalytic converter theft in the 1200 block of Hope Street, per LAPD's May 28 news release. Officers "began to render aid" to Wactor, who was later transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"Based on witness statements, Wactor had ended his shift as a bartender at a local bar and walked to his vehicle. When Wactor arrived at his vehicle, he was confronted by three individuals who had Wactor's vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter," LAPD reported. "Without provocation, the victim was shot by one of the individuals."
During a news conference in downtown Los Angeles last month, Wactor's mother, Scarlett Wactor, said “Grief is my constant companion,” according to The Associated Press.
"I can’t wish him happy birthday on Aug. 31 — he would have been 38," she continued. "I can’t ask if he’s coming home for Christmas. I can’t ask how his day went.”
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- 90 Day Fiancé's Shaeeda Sween Shares Why She Decided to Share Her Miscarriage Story
- Seaplane hits power line, crashes into Ohio river; 2 taken to hospital with minor injuries
- It's one of the world's toughest anti-smoking laws. The Māori see a major flaw
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Yemen’s state-run airline suspends the only route out of Sanaa over Houthi restrictions on its funds
- It's not just FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried. His parents also face legal trouble
- Rishi Sunak needs to rally his flagging Conservatives. He hopes a dash of populism will do the trick
- Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season
- Fire erupts in a police headquarters in Egypt, injuring at least 14 people
Ranking
- Olympic men's basketball bracket: Results of the 5x5 tournament
- Trump expected to attend opening of his civil fraud trial in New York on Monday
- Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty set for WNBA Finals as top two teams face off
- Trump campaigns before thousands in friendly blue-collar, eastern Iowa, touting trade, farm policy
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Ed Sheeran says he's breaking free from industry pressures with new album Autumn Variations: I don't care what people think
- Investigators search for pilot of single-engine plane after it crashes into a New Hampshire lake
- Afghan Embassy closes in India citing a lack of diplomatic support and personnel
Recommendation
Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season
Man convicted of killing ex-girlfriend, well-known sex therapist in 2020
Will Russia, Belarus compete in Olympics? It depends. Here's where key sports stand
Connecticut enacts its most sweeping gun control law since the Sandy Hook shooting
Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
Calgary Flames executive Chris Snow dies at 42 after defying ALS odds for years
Lawrence, Ridley and defense help Jaguars beat Falcons 23-7 in London
Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes, Sophie Turner and Blake Lively Spotted Out to Dinner in NYC