When Johnny Wactor found three people wearing masks trying to steal the catalytic converter from his Toyota Prius last May, one of the thieves shouted “No!” before his “hot-headed” friend fired a single shot into the “General Hospital” actor’s chest, a coroner said Monday.
New information about the case appeared in the first trial of Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, who are charged with the murder of Wactor in the city of Los Angeles. The accused, both 18 years old, have pleaded not guilty.
In a jailhouse interview that was secretly recorded by authorities, Estrada said he didn’t want to “work” to steal power converters with Barceleau, who he called a “hothead,” said Det. Justin Howarth of the Los Angeles Police Department. Estrada said he yelled at Barceleau not to shoot before Barceleau pulled out a gun, Howarth said.
Nicknamed “Smalls,” the 5-foot 6-inch, 110-pound Barceleau told a news outlet in a separate recording that he shot Wactor because the actor was “following the homie” after he found them jacking up his car to see its speed. converter, said Howarth.
Wactor’s killers left behind a 2-ton floor jack, which quickly pumped around the Prius. Police found the fingerprints of three men on the jack, according to testimony: Barceleau, Estrada and Leonel Gutierrez.
Gutierrez pleaded no contest to attempted robbery and grand theft. A fourth defendant, Frank “Littles” Olano, pleaded not guilty to receiving stolen property and accessory after the fact. Gutierrez and Olano will be sentenced on January 15.
Olano told the activist that he received six catalytic converters from Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez the night Wactor was killed, Howarth said.
About 20 minutes before the killing, cameras maintained by the USC Department of Public Safety captured the suspects stealing the catalytic converter from a car less than two miles from where Wactor had parked his 2013 Prius before heading to the Level 8 lounge. The Moxy Hotel.
Around 3:20 a.m., Wactor returned to his car with a co-worker, Anita Gibney, who told police she initially thought the Prius was being towed. When they realized it was a robbery, Gibney tried to discreetly take a photo of the dark-colored sedan parked next to the Prius while Wactor confronted the thieves, LAPD Det. Keith Gonzales testifies.
“That’s my car,” he said. “What are you doing?”
Then, Gibney said, “he heard a loud noise,” Gonzales said. Wactor went back to Gibney, who asked if he was okay.
“No,” said Wactor. “I was shot.”
The actor, 37, is said to have died after 14 minutes from a single gunshot to the chest, said Gonzales.
Five hours after he was killed, Barceleau filmed himself brandishing a laser gun, according to Howarth. Estrada stands with one arm around Barceleau, money held out in the other hand.
In jail, Barceleau said he gave the gun used to kill Wactor to his father, who threw it away, Howarth said.
Barceleau and Estrada are members of the Dukes of the Florencia-13 gang, Howarth said. Barceleau is charged with assaulting the police and chasing them at high speed 11 days after Wactor was killed.
In court documents, prosecutors wrote that Barceleau and two other suspects were breaking into a car parked on 28th Street in South Los Angeles when two neighbors came out to see what was happening.
Barceleau pointed his gun before fleeing, prosecutors said. Pursued by police, Barceleau drove 80 miles per hour toward the LAPD cruiser on Figueroa Street and eluded arrest, prosecutors wrote. Barceleau denied the charge and denied the allegations.
In a search warrant affidavit, Howarth said police charged Barceleau, Estrada, Gutierrez and Olano with seven other crimes. According to his affidavit, it included kidnapping and robbery at a drugstore in Chatsworth. Authorities also accused the men of burglarizing a Melrose Avenue store called “Whole Lotta Cough Syrup,” an unusual sneaker retailer in Encino, and pharmacies in Hollywood, North Hollywood and Sun Valley, though they have not been charged with those crimes.
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