Johnny Wactor’s accused killers tied to thefts in L.A., Beverly Hills, Ontario, police say

Searches of homes of gang members charged with murder in the shooting death of actor Johnny Wactor uncovered evidence tying them to thefts in L.A., Beverly Hills and the Inland Empire, the interim Los Angeles Police Department chief said.

While serving search warrants in the arrest of four men connected to the May 25 slaying of Wactor, the LAPD’s organized retail task force and Central Bureau Homicide Division found evidence related to a series of pharmacy and retail store thefts, Interim Police Chief Dominic Choi told the Police Commission on Tuesday.

The evidence is linked to thefts in Los Angeles, the unincorporated Lennox area, Beverly Hills, Rialto and Ontario, Choi said. The chief said more than 50 search warrants were conducted in Wactor’s case, culminating in the arrests of four men with known associations to a notorious South Los Angeles street gang.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón on Monday charged Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, both 18, with murder in Wactor’s death. Authorities say Barceleau shot the “General Hospital” actor after he confronted him, Estrada and a third man — Leonel Gutierrez — as the trio jacked up his car to steal its catalytic converter.

Wactor and a colleague had just finished their shifts at the Level 8 bar when they came upon the three men and thought they were about to tow the actor’s vehicle. But when they realized they had interrupted a theft in progress, Wactor tried to de-escalate the situation, asking the men to leave and showing his open hands to indicate he wasn’t a threat. Nevertheless, he was shot at close range, his co-worker Anita Joy said. A security guard from the bar said he found Joy and the mortally wounded Wactor and called 911.

Johnny Wactor was shot to death after interrupting men trying to steal his car’s catalytic converter on May 25, authorities say.

(Willy Sanjuan / Invision / Associated Press)

Police launched an extensive search for the suspects in the fatal shooting, ultimately focusing on gang members tied to catalytic converter thefts in the region. Witnesses said one of the men had a distinct “F” tattoo on his face, which police tied to the Florencia 13 gang.

Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez, also 18, were targeted after police said their fingerprints matched those lifted from a floor jack used while trying to steal Wactor’s catalytic converter. The three were arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder; a fourth man — Frank Olano, 22 — was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder.

According to two law enforcement sources who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, Barceleau and Estrada made incriminating statements about their role in the killing while in jail after their arrests.

On Monday, the two were charged with murder in Wactor’s death, while Gutierrez and Olano were charged with lesser crimes. Neither Gascón nor Choi would discuss the evidence in the case, including any statements made by the accused. All four appeared in a downtown court Monday and were waiting to be called for their hearing.

Barceleau, who is also known as “Smallz,” was charged with special circumstances murder during an attempted robbery with personal use of a firearm, attempted robbery, grand theft and aggravated circumstances of using a firearm. If convicted, he faces life without the possibility of parole.

Estrada, a.k.a. “Prieto,” was charged with murder with the use of a firearm, attempted robbery and grand theft with a firearm.

Gutierrez, or “Tripps,” was charged with attempted robbery and grand theft with allegations of a principal armed with a firearm.

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 with a firearm.

Barceleau is being held without bail, and Estrada is being held in lieu of $2.07 million bail. Olano’s bail was set at $1.08 million and Gutierrez’s at $120,000.