Man linked to killing of actor Johnny Wactor out on bail after pleading guilty to attempted robbery, grand theft

One of four men arrested in connection with the killing of former "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor is out on bail after pleading guilty to charges of attempted robbery and grand theft on Wednesday.

Leonel Gutierrez, 18, was one of four people arrested last month in the fatal shooting of Wactor, who played the role of Brando Corbin on the daytime soap opera. On May 25, Wactor and a friend were going home from a bartending shift in downtown Los Angeles around 3:30 a.m. when they saw some men surrounding his car, who police say were trying to steal a catalytic converter off the vehicle. They had the car lifted up with a floor jack, according to police. 

Wactor walked towards them, police said. Then, he was gunned down.

"We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave, hands open to his sides in peace," Anita Joy, the friend he was with, later wrote in an Instagram post. "He was killed senselessly by a coward who reacted without care of the gorgeous life he was taking."

Last month, police said four people were arrested in connection with Wactor's death. The arrests were announced just two days after the actor's mother traveled from South Carolina to Los Angeles to speak out and call for justice — urging anyone with information to come forward after months of investigation had led to no arrests.

"It will help me and his brothers in our healing to know that they have been captured and convicted, and the strongest penalty," she said. "So, I'm begging you, please call, please give them any information you know." 

In addition to Gutierrez, the four men arrested include Robert Barceleau, 18, Sergio Estrada, 18, and Frank Olano, 22. Later in August, all three of them pleaded not guilty to charges. 

At the time, Gutierrez agreed to plead guilty at a later date and was free after posting $120,000 bond.

On Wednesday, he was was out on bail after pleading guilty to two charges — which do not include murder — and he is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1. He faces up to four years and eight months in prison.

Barceleau has been charged with murder with the special circumstance allegations of murder during an attempted robbery and personal use of a firearm. He also faces charges of one count of attempted robbery with personal use of a firearm and one count of grand theft with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm.

Estrada has been charged with murder but not with the special circumstance allegation, and he also faces attempted robbery and grand theft charges. Meanwhile, Olano was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact, one count of receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.