Actor Johnny Wactor, 37, who appeared on the daytime drama General Hospital as Brando Corbin from 2020 to 2022, was shot and killed on a downtown Los Angeles street more than two months ago. He attempted to stop three mask-wearing robbers from stealing the catalytic converter from his car in a brazen late night theft. The people apparently responsible are still at large.
Now, per the New York Post, the Los Angeles Police Department has made surveillance photos taken at the crime scene public. The hope is that these individuals will be identified and captured.
What Happened to Johnny Wactor?
Wactor Had Just Finished A Late Night Bartending Stint
Wactor was reportedly walking to his car with a colleague when he spotted the men at 3:25am on May 25 in the "1200 block of Hope Street." They were evidently tinkering with his car, elevating it with a jack. His mom, Scarlett, told ABC7 that Johnny assumed they were in the process of towing his vehicle. He attempted to ask if that actually was what was going on.
One of the world-be thieves then shot Wactor. He was brought to a hospital by paramedics and subsequently pronounced dead. All three fled the scene in what is believed to be "a stolen 2018 four-door black Infiniti Q50 with a tan-colored interior."
What The Surveillance Footage Depicts
The Footage Yields Some Key Information About The Crime
Per the Post, "The images released by the LAPD show two of the suspects in light-colored hooded sweatshirts and one man wearing a black hoodie. No physical description of the suspects was offered besides a tattoo "Suspect 1" has above his left eye and on his right cheek."
Maybe this information will be enough for someone to recognize these alleged culprits and ID one or possibly all of them. At least it brings the case to the public's attention again. It has been many weeks after the deadly crime was committed.
Catalytic Converters Are A Frequent Target Of Thieves
They Contain Valuable Metals
According to CNN, "Last year, thieves stole 27,609 catalytic converters in the US, with more than half of those thefts happening in California [where Johnny Wactor was killed], according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau."
Catalytic converters are not your average nondescript car part. "Inside is a honeycomb-like structure coated in metals far more valuable than gold." They may contain costly rhodium, platinum, and palladium, making them highly attractive to thieves.
