Catalytic converter thief shouted ‘No!’ before accomplice shot Johnny Wactor, police say

When Johnny Wactor found three people in masks trying to steal the catalytic converter from his Toyota Prius last May, one of the thieves yelled “No!” before his “hot-headed” companion fired a single shot into the “General Hospital” actor’s chest, a detective testified Monday.

New details about the case came at a preliminary hearing for Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, who are charged with murdering Wactor in downtown Los Angeles. The defendants, both 18, have pleaded not guilty.

In a jailhouse conversation secretly recorded by authorities, Estrada said he hadn’t wanted to “work” stealing catalytic converters with Barceleau, whom he called “hot-headed,” said Det. Justin Howarth of the Los Angeles Police Department. Estrada claimed he yelled at Barceleau not to shoot before Barceleau pulled the trigger, Howarth said.

Nicknamed “Smalls,” the 5-foot 6-inch, 110-pound Barceleau told an informant in a separate recording that he shot Wactor because the actor was “going after the homie” after finding them hoisting up his car to saw off its catalytic converter, Howarth said.

Wactor’s killers left behind a 2-ton, rapid-pump floor jack next to the Prius. Police found the fingerprints of three men on the jack, according to testimony: Barceleau, Estrada and Leonel Gutierrez.

Gutierrez has pleaded no contest to attempted robbery and grand theft. A fourth defendant, Frank “Littles” Olano, pleaded no contest to receiving stolen property and accessory after the fact. Gutierrez and Olano are due to be sentenced Jan. 15.

Olano told an informant he received six catalytic converters from Barceleau, Estrada and Gutierrez on the night Wactor was killed, Howarth testified.

About 20 minutes before the homicide, cameras maintained by USC’s 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 a shift tending bar at the Level 8 lounge in the Moxy Hotel.

Around 3:20 a.m., Wactor returned to his car with a co-worker, Anita Gibney, who told police they first thought the Prius was being towed. When they realized it was a theft, Gibney tried to discreetly take a photograph of the dark-colored sedan parked next to the Prius while Wactor confronted the thieves, LAPD Det. Keith Gonzales testified.

“That’s my car,” he said. “What are you doing?”

Then, Gibney said, she “heard a loud snap,” Gonzales testified. Wactor fell back into Gibney, who asked if he was OK.

“Nope,” Wactor said. “I’ve been shot.”

The actor, 37, was pronounced dead 14 minutes later from a single gunshot to the chest, Gonzales said.

Five hours after the homicide, Barceleau photographed himself brandishing a gun equipped with a laser sight, according to Howarth. Estrada posed with one arm around Barceleau, cash fanned out in his other hand.

In the jailhouse sting, Barceleau said he gave the gun used to kill Wactor to his father, who disposed of it, Howarth testified.

Barceleau and Estrada are members of the Dukes clique of the Florencia-13 gang, Howarth said. Barceleau is also charged with assaulting police and leading them on a high-speed chase 11 days after Wactor was killed.

In court papers, prosecutors wrote that Barceleau and two other suspects were burglarizing a car parked on 28th Street in South Los Angeles when two neighbors stepped onto a balcony to see what was going on.

Barceleau pointed the laser sight of his gun at them before fleeing, prosecutors allege. Chased by police, Barceleau drove 80 miles per hour toward an LAPD cruiser on Figueroa Street and evaded arrest, prosecutors wrote. Barceleau has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.

In a search warrant affidavit, Howarth said police suspected Barceleau, Estrada, Gutierrez and Olano in seven other crimes. According to his affidavit, they include a kidnapping and robbery at a cannabis dispensary in Chatsworth. Authorities also suspected the men of burglarizing a Melrose Avenue boutique called “Whole Lotta Cough Syrup,” a rare sneaker vendor in Encino, and pharmacies in Hollywood, North Hollywood and Sun Valley, although they have not been charged with these crimes.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.