Current:Home > reviewsEchoSense:Man pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing -PureWealth Academy
EchoSense:Man pleads guilty to charges related to 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's killing
PredictIQ View
Date:2025-04-09 17:55:13
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,EchoSense 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! (6919)
Related
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- South Carolina’s governor marks new gun law with ceremonial bill signing
- Gannett news chain says it will stop using AP content for first time in a century
- Who is the highest-paid MLB player in 2024? These are the top 25 baseball salaries
- Bet365 ordered to refund $519K to customers who it paid less than they were entitled on sports bets
- Jimmie Allen's former manager agrees to drop sexual assault lawsuit, stands by accusation
- Which NCAA women's basketball teams are in March Madness 2024? See the full list by conference.
- MacKenzie Scott donates $640 million -- more than double her initial plan -- to nonprofit applicants
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Jimmie Allen's former manager agrees to drop sexual assault lawsuit, stands by accusation
Ranking
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Barack Obama releases NCAA March Madness 2024 brackets: See the former president's picks
- Krispy Kreme celebrates the arrival of spring by introducing 4 new mini doughnut flavors
- Hope for Israel-Hamas war truce tempered by growing rift between Netanyahu and his U.S. and European allies
- Boy who wandered away from his 5th birthday party found dead in canal, police say
- Key questions as Trump hurtles toward deadline to pay $454 million fraud penalty
- Newly obtained video shows movement of group suspected of constructing Jan. 6 gallows hours before Capitol siege
- Why Nicki Minaj’s New Orleans Concert Was Canceled Hours Before Show
Recommendation
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
March Madness as we know it could be on the way out amid seismic changes in college sports
Retired Belarusian hockey player Konstantin Koltsov dies in Florida at 42
Arizona lawmaker says she plans to have an abortion after learning her pregnancy isn’t viable
Judge says Mexican ex-official tried to bribe inmates in a bid for new US drug trial
Cisco ready for AI revolution as it acquires Splunk in $28 billion deal
Conservative social media influencer charged for her role in Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol
What to know about Paige Bueckers, UConn's star who's healthy and back to dominating ways