Two of the men convicted in Johnny Wactor‘s death received prison sentences on Wednesday, January 15.
Frank Olano and Leonel Gutierrez, who were convicted on lesser charges in the General Hospital star’s slaying and not charged with his murder, were sentenced to time in prison. Olano received five years and eight months on charges of being an accessory after the killing, receiving stolen property, and three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Deadline. The 22-year-old’s sentencing came after he entered a no-contest plea in October 2024.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez will spend four years behind bars following his September 2024 no-contest plea to attempted robbery and grand theft, according to the Associated Press.
The remaining two defendants, Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, are set to appear in court on January 22 to face charges of murder, attempted second-degree robbery, and grand theft involving a firearm. Barceleau is facing the possibility of life in prison without parole due to a charge of killing in the commission of a robbery, as well as allegations that he intentionally discharged a firearm that caused Wactor’s death. They have both pled not guitly.
New accusations filed in December 2024 allege that Barceleau and Estrada committed the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Wactor was fatally shot on the morning of May 25, 2024, in Downtown Los Angeles. The 37-year-old was leaving a bartending shift with a co-worker when he was confronted by men trying to steal car parts. All four defendants received their charges in August 2024.
“Johnny Wactor was a spectacular human being,” the late star’s agent David Shaul told Variety. “Not just a talented actor who was committed to his craft but a real moral example to everyone who knew him. Standing for hard work, tenacity and a never give up attitude. In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be.”
