Current:Home > reviewsMan pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing -NextFrontier Finance
Man pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing
View
Date:2025-04-15 16:01:28
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! (8)
Related
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Citing Health and Climate Concerns, Activists Urge HUD To Remove Gas Stoves From Federally Assisted Housing
- TikTok’s Favorite Oil-Absorbing Face Roller Is Only $8 for Amazon Prime Day 2023
- Why Patrick Mahomes Says Wife Brittany Has a “Good Sense” on How to Handle Online Haters
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- Can't Fall Asleep? This Cooling Body Pillow With 16,600+ 5-Star Amazon Reviews is $38 for Prime Day 2023
- People and pets seek shade and cool as Europe sizzles under a heat wave
- Uprooted: How climate change is reshaping migration from Honduras
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- Rooftop Solar Is Becoming More Accessible to People with Lower Incomes, But Not Fast Enough
Ranking
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Carbon Removal Is Coming to Fossil Fuel Country. Can It Bring Jobs and Climate Action?
- Taco John's has given up its 'Taco Tuesday' trademark after a battle with Taco Bell
- In Court, the Maryland Public Service Commission Quotes Climate Deniers and Claims There’s No Such Thing as ‘Clean’ Energy
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Russia's nixing of Ukraine grain deal deepens worries about global food supply
- 'Hospital-at-home' trend means family members must be caregivers — ready or not
- The White House and big tech companies release commitments on managing AI
Recommendation
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
AMC Theaters reverses its decision to price tickets based on where customers sit
Inflation may be cooling, but the housing market is still too hot for many buyers
Al Gore Talks Climate Progress, Setbacks and the First Rule of Holes: Stop Digging
Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
Hurricanes Ian and Nicole Left Devastating Flooding in Central Florida. Will it Happen Again?
After a historic downturn due to the pandemic, childhood immunizations are improving
Why Chinese Aluminum Producers Emit So Much of Some of the World’s Most Damaging Greenhouse Gases