Prosecutors on Monday charged two men with known ties to a notorious South Los Angeles street gang with murder in the death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor after the suspects became involved during jailhouse arguments, sources told The Times.
Two other men were also charged with misdemeanors in connection with Wactor's death, authorities said.
Robert Barceleau, 18, is accused of shooting Wactor after the actor ran into him and two other Florence 13 gang members on Hope Street near Pico Boulevard and confronted them because he thought they were trying to tow his car in the early morning hours of May 25. Authorities say the men were lifting Wactor’s car to steal its catalytic converter and shot him after accosting them.
Johnny Wactor was shot and killed after interrupting men trying to steal the catalytic converter from his car on May 25, authorities said.
(Willy Sanjuan/Invision/Associated Press)
Barceleau, also known as “Smallz,” is an identified member of the Florencia 13 gang, according to information in a search warrant filed in Wactor’s investigation. His fingerprints, as well as those of Sergio Estrada and Leonel Gutierrez, matched those found on the hydraulic jack left in Wactor’s car, according to the search warrant. Authorities say Estrada, also known as “Prieto,” and Gutierrez, or “Tripps,” both 18, are affiliated with the gang.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and Los Angeles Police Department Acting Chief Dominic Choi said more than 50 search warrants were served in the case.
Witnesses identified Gutierrez as a suspect in Wactor’s murder because of a distinctive “F” tattoo on his face (for Florence, police said).
The three men were arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder. A fourth person, Frank Olano, 22, was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder.
After their arrests, some of the men implicated themselves in the killing during recorded jailhouse conversations, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Calling Wactor's death a “senseless shooting,” Gascón on Monday accused Barceleau and Estrada of murder.
Barceleau was charged with murder with special circumstances during an attempted robbery with personal use of a firearm, attempted robbery, grand larceny and aggravated circumstances of use of a firearm. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Anita Joy, right, who was with Johnny Factor when he was killed, hugs Gary Hoiness after Monday's news conference announcing murder charges against Factor's alleged killers.
(Al Seib/For The Times)
Estrada was charged with murder with use of a firearm, attempted robbery and grand theft with a firearm.
Gutierrez was charged with attempted robbery and grand larceny with allegations that a director was armed with a firearm.
Olano was charged with one count of accessory to murder, one count of receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon with a firearm.
“There are two who are facing life in prison, one facing life in prison without the possibility of prison,” Gascón said during a news conference Monday. “One of them fired a gun; the other one was there … Barceleau fired the gun.”
Barceleau, Gutierrez and Estrada all have lengthy criminal records, according to court and arrest documents reviewed by The Times.
Barceleau has previously been arrested on suspicion of assault with a firearm, robbery and burglary. Gutierrez has prior arrests on suspicion of possession of a firearm, vehicle theft, grand larceny, assault with serious bodily injury, battery and robbery. Estrada's prior record includes suspicion of assault with a firearm, robbery and burglary. Alano, also known as “Little,” has been arrested on suspicion of grand larceny, vandalism, possession of a firearm and assault on a police officer.
Barceleau is being held without bail and Estrada is being held on $2.07 million bail. Olano's bail was set at $1.08 million and Gutierrez's at $120,000.
Moses Castillo, a retired Los Angeles Police Department detective and advocate for the Wactor family, said the failure to file special gang charges against the men, as the district attorney has repeatedly done in past gang cases, means the men will face significantly less prison time if convicted.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and Los Angeles Police Department Acting Chief Dominic Choi on Monday announced murder and other charges against the alleged attackers of slain “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor.
(Al Seib/For The Times)
Neither Gascón nor Choi would discuss evidence in the case, including statements made by the defendants. All four appeared in a downtown courtroom on Monday and were awaiting a hearing.
The charges come after friends of the actor called on the district attorney to jail those responsible for the actor's death.
“I don’t think it’s fair that these suspects, who killed Johnny, are going to be free again,” actor Micah Parker said Monday outside the downtown criminal courts building. “In our eyes, that’s justice and we’re asking George Gascón to do justice and do his job today.”
Parker and others asked the district attorney to commit to seeking the maximum sentence for the men: life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Wactor's murder has become a symbol of the growing problems related to violent robberies in Los Angeles, and in particular the rise in street violence in the city center.
The actor had finished a shift at the Level 8 bar around 3:20 a.m. on May 25 when he and co-worker Anita Joy were walking to their car and interrupted the robbers.
Wactor initially thought his car was being taken, Joy said. After realizing that was not the case, he asked the men to leave, showing his open hands to indicate he was not a threat. Instead, he was shot at point-blank range, Joy said. A security guard at the bar said he found Joy and Wactor, who were mortally wounded, and called 911.
Joy asked Wactor if he was OK and he replied, “No. I was shot,” according to the probable cause statement in the suspects' arrests.
After the shooting, the men fled north on Hope Street in a stolen getaway vehicle described as a black, four-door 2018 Infiniti Q50 with a tan interior, police said.
Given the description of the attackers and some security videos from the scene, the focus of the investigation almost immediately centered on the Florencia 13 gang members linked to catalytic converter thefts in the region.
After reviewing video and interviewing witnesses, LAPD homicide detectives identified the suspects. Barceleau had been arrested on June 5 on suspicion of assault by the LAPD, but was not charged with any crime and was released the same day.
It wasn't until this month that the arrests were made, after repeated efforts by friends, family and politicians calling for more resources for the case and a tougher approach to crime in Los Angeles.
Following the arrests, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass thanked police “for their continued efforts to keep Angelenos safe and bring justice to victims of violence.”
“We must now ensure that those responsible for this brazen and heinous act are held fully accountable,” he said.
On Monday, Choi said Wactor's “tragic and untimely death” has left a void in the hearts of his family, friends and fans, as well as the community at large.
“To the family and loved ones of Mr. Wactor, we know that no amount of legal action can bring back the life of the person you lost, but we hope that today’s announcement provides some comfort in knowing that those responsible are no longer on the streets and will never be able to hurt anyone again,” Choi said.
