Arrests made in actor’s death

UPDATED with arrests: The LAPD said Thursday afternoon that it had arrested four people in connection with its investigation into his murder General Hospital star Johnny Wactor.

Police said they executed search warrants that led to the arrests of Robert Barceleau (DOB: May 1, 2006, resident of Huntington Park), Leonel Gutierrez (DAT: December 17, 2005, resident of Los Angeles County) and Sergio Estrada ( DOB: May 12, 2006, Los Angeles County resident), all booked on a felony warrant. Frank Olano (DOB: February 15, 2002, resident of Inglewood) was arrested on a warrant for accessory.

Evidence was also recovered in the operation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Homicide Bureau.

Wactor was shot and killed in May after confronting thieves trying to steal his car’s catalytic converter.

EARLIER, Thursday morning: Los Angeles police on Thursday arrested several suspects in connection with his murder General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor earlier this year, a law enforcement source told Deadline.

Several search warrants were issued earlier and about half a dozen suspects were taken into custody, we’re told.

Wactor was killed in the early morning hours of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Walking to his car with a co-worker after a bartending shift, he was shot after confronting three robbers who were trying to steal the car’s catalytic converter. Police say the suspects fled the scene in a stolen black 2018 Infiniti Q50.

The investigation focused on members of the Florencia 13 gang linked to catalytic converter thefts in the region, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing sources.

As part of its investigation, the LAPD earlier this month released photos of the alleged suspects and the getaway vehicle.

His death sparked an outpouring of community reaction, with dozens of people attending a rally in June demanding justice. Chief Deputy LA District Attorney Joseph Iniguez told the crowd at the time that the Major Crimes Division was working with Central Bureau homicide detectives on the case, saying, “We have a number of leads.”

Wactor, 37, played Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of General Hospital in the period 2020-2022.