8/16/2024
Four men have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of former “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor during an apparent catalytic converter theft in May, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Thursday.
Homicide investigators conducted search warrants at multiple locations throughout the city Thursday, during which evidence was recovered and the arrests were made, the LAPD detailed in an updated news release.
Three men, all 18, were booked on suspicion of murder, while a fourth, a 22-year-old man, was booked on suspicion of being an accessory, according to the LAPD.
No further details about the investigation have been released.
CNN is working to determine if the men have legal representation.
Earlier this month, police released grainy images of three individuals wearing hooded sweatshirts as well as photos of a black four-door Infiniti Q50 sedan with a tan interior authorities said was stolen, CNN previously reported.
Police indicated at the time that the man who allegedly fired the weapon has a tattoo above his left eye and the right cheek, though they did not elaborate on Thursday who they believe the shooter was.
During a news conference earlier this week in Los Angeles, Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, said that grief is her “constant companion.”
She said she can’t wish her son a happy 38th birthday on August 31, can’t ask him how his day went and can’t ask him if he’s coming home for Christmas.
“This is a great birthday present,” Scarlett Wactor told CNN Thursday about the arrests and her son’s upcoming birthday. “I hope that he is smiling down.”
She said that hearing about the arrests is a “huge relief,” and a “big win.”
“It’s a very good feeling, and I’m cautiously optimistic that we can have them go away for a very long time,” she said.
In a statement about the arrests Thursday, LA Mayor Karen Bass called for “full accountability” in the case.
“I want to thank LAPD for their partnership and hard work on this case and for their continued efforts to keep Angelenos safe and to bring justice to victims of violence,” the mayor said. “Now, we must ensure that those who are responsible for this brazen and heinous act are held fully accountable.”