By Ricardo Roura
Aug 29, 2024, 10:01 PM EDT
Three suspects charged in shooting death of actor Johnny Wactor, including two facing murder charges, They pleaded not guilty on Thursdaywhile a fourth suspect facing lesser charges said he would plead guilty at a later date.
The not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of of the alleged gunman, Robert Isaiah Barceleau, 18, of Huntington Beach.
Barceleau is charged with one count of murder and the special circumstance charge of murder during the commission of an attempted robbery, in connection with the Wactor murder, which occurred early on the morning of May 25 in downtown Los Angeles.
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Sergio Estrada, 18, also pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.but not of special circumstances. The Hispanic was also charged with attempted robbery and grand larceny, as well as possession of firearms.
Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewoodpleaded not guilty to being an accessory to murder, one count of receiving stolen property and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The fourth suspect, Leonel Gutierrez, 18, charged with attempted robbery and grand theft by embezzlement, both firearms-related offenses, He declared through his lawyer that he would plead guilty.
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Gutierrez is free after paying a bail of $120,000 dollars.
The suspects were presented before Judge Susan De Witt in downtown Los Angeles Superior Court.
De Witt scheduled a preliminary hearing date for Barceleau, Estrada and Olano for October 16while Gutierrez is expected to plead guilty on September 11.
Keep reading: Photos of suspects in Los Angeles murder of actor released
At approximately 3:30 am on May 25thWactor, 37, was shot after finishing his bartending shift at the Level 8 bar/restaurant in downtown Los Angeles.
Wactor was walking with a co-worker to his car, parked near Hope Street and Pico Boulevard, when he came across a group of people trying to steal the catalytic converter from his vehicle.
When he approached them to ask what they were doing, without provocation, One of the suspects opened fire and wounded him with a bullet..
Keep reading:
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