LOS ANGELES—On Thursday, September 12, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office disclosed that Leonel Gutierrez pleaded guilty to all charges and allegations charged against him in the attempted robbery of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor, including grand theft in a separate incident on May 25.
On September 11, Gutierrez entered a formal open plea of guilty to all charges and allegations alleged against him in the attempted robbery of actor Johnny Wactor on May 25 in downtown Los Angeles, as well as a separate grand theft that same evening.
Gutierrez is scheduled to be sentenced November 1 at 1:30 pm in Dept. 50 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. His sentence will be determined by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. He was among four defendants charged in crimes connected to Wactor’s death.
Leonel Gutierrez, 18, pleaded guilty on September 11 in case 24CJCF05159 to an amended complaint in which he was charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, as well as a principal armed with a firearm allegation.
The defendant was charged on August 19 along with three other defendants, Robert Barceleau, 18; Sergio Estrada, 18; and Frank Olano, 22, with crimes connected to the death of Wactor. The remaining defendants’ cases are pending. They are scheduled for preliminary hearing setting on October 16 in Dept. 50 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
On May 25 at about 3:25 a.m., Wactor, 37, was leaving his bartending job in the Moxy Hotel, located at 1260 South Figueroa Blvd., in downtown Los Angeles, when he encountered three men, including Gutierrez, allegedly attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his car parked at Hope St., near Pico Blvd. Defendant Barceleau allegedly shot Wactor once in the chest. Wactor died at an area hospital.
Wactor was shot after confronting the suspects, who according to reports, he thought was towing his vehicle. He was with a female co-worked at the time of the shooting.
Wactor’s grandmother, Michaelle Kinard started a GoFundMe, ‘Justice for Johnny: Family Support’ to help Johnny’s mother and brothers. The GoFundMe has a goal of $100,000
“I’m Michaelle, Johnny’s Godmother. On May 25, my dearest and best friend’s son was murdered. He was the victim of the most senseless crime!
Johnny Wactor, (known to many as Brandon Corbin on General Hospital), was living his dream in LA. He was fatally shot early Saturday morning when he came upon a crime.
Johnny was the kindest soul. My heart is utterly broken and somehow we NEED justice for Johnny!
I want to raise money for his mother, Scarlett, and his brothers, Lance and Grant to be able to travel the distance of 2000 miles (the many times it may take) to take care of this heartbreaking business which they have been sentenced.
With God‘s will, the killer will be arrested and the family will see him face to face. This may help bring closure to this tragedy. Any excess donations will be donated to the charities the family chooses in memory of Johnny.”
A catalytic converter is used with internal combustion engines fueled by gasoline or diesel and are a popular item for thieves, who steal the item and sell it. Catalytic converters are common in most cars; they remove harmful exhaust pollutants. The part is typically accessible from the exterior of the car, usually underneath the body, which makes it vulnerable to theft. The city of Santa Monica passed a new law in 2023 that a person will face a $500 fine for possessing an unattached catalytic converter without proof of ownership.
Johnny appeared on “General Hospital” where he portrayed Brando Corbin from 2020 until 2022, until his character was killed by The Hook. He appeared in a total of 164 episodes on the soap opera. He also starred on the Lifetime series “Army Wives.” He recently starred in the ABC series “Station 19” in 2023, and appears in a series of short films including “The Con-Artist,” “The Proposal,” “Cold Soldiers” and “Boy Crazy.” He recently appeared in the 2023 movie “Supercell” alongside Skeet Ulrich and Alec Baldwin.
“While this was not an easy case for anyone involved, I am confident that we have the right people on the right charges,” LAPD Chief Dominic Choi said on August 19. “Our investigators worked tirelessly to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and follow every lead to ensure that justice is served. To the family and loved ones of Johnny Wactor: We know that no legal action can ever bring back the person you have lost, but we hope that today’s announcement brings some measure of comfort in knowing that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.”
The case is being prosecuted by LADA’s Major Crimes Division and investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
