One of four people charged in connection with the death of former "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempted robbery and grand theft charges.
Leonel Gutierrez, 18, made an open plea to the court, meaning his guilty plea was made without any agreement with prosecutors regarding sentencing. That means his sentence will be solely decided by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry L. White.
Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 1. Gutierrez remains free on bond.
Gutierrez was one of four people arrested last month in connection with the investigation into the May 25 death of Wactor, who was fatally shot when he came upon a trio of suspects trying to steal the catalytic converter from his parked car in downtown Los Angeles.
Gutierrez was originally booked on suspicion of murder, but he was ultimately charged only with the attempted robbery and grand theft counts.
The alleged gunman in the killing, Robert Isaiah Barceleau, 18, of Huntington Park, was charged with murder and a special-circumstance allegation of murder during the commission of an attempted robbery.
Sergio Estrada, 18, was also charged with murder, but not with the special-circumstance allegation. He was also charged with attempted robbery and grand theft, along with gun allegations.
Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood, was charged with being an accessory after the fact to the killing, along with receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Los Angeles Times, citing an affidavit in support of a search warrant, reported that police targeted Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez because their fingerprints were allegedly found on a floor jack they used while trying to steal Wactor's catalytic converter.
Barceleau, Estrada and Olano are due back in court Oct. 16 for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for them to stand trial. All three have pleaded not guilty. Barceleau was being held without bail, while Estrada's bail was set at just over $2 million, and Olano's at just over $1 million.
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Gutierrez's bail was lowered to $120,000, and he was freed on bond Aug. 21.
Wactor, 37, was shot about 3:30 a.m. May 25 while walking with a co- worker toward his parked car near Hope Street and Pico Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles after finishing his bartending shift at the nearby Level 8 bar/restaurant.
Police said that the pair encountered a crew of people trying to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor's car, and that one of them shot Wactor as he approached.
The suspects had Wactor's vehicle raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter, police said, adding that Wactor was shot by one of the individuals without provocation.
The LAPD had previously released surveillance photos of the suspects believed to have killed Wactor, along with images of an allegedly stolen 2018 black, four-door Infiniti Q50 in which the suspects were believed to have escaped by driving northbound on Hope Street.
Barceleau, Estrada, Gutierrez and Olano were arrested Aug. 15 in a series of raids carried out by Los Angeles police.
Wactor appeared on nearly 200 episodes of "General Hospital" from 2020-22. His other credits included "Westworld," "The OA," "NCIS," "Station 19," "Criminal Minds" and "Hollywood Girl."
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