Four people arrested earlier this month in connection with the shooting death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor have been charged, officials with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office announced.  

Wactor was shot and killed May 25 as he and a coworker, Anita Joy, were walking to their cars in downtown L.A. just before 3:30 a.m. after their shifts at the Moxy Hotel, located at 1260 South Figueroa Boulevard.  

As he and Joy approached his vehicle, they stumbled upon three men stealing his catalytic converter.  

Prosecutors say that one of the men, 18-year-old Robert Barceleau, allegedly shot Wactor once in the chest moments before the trio fled the area. The 37-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.  

Barceleau and his two accomplices were able to evade police until their arrest on Aug. 15. A fourth person was also taken into custody as an accessory to the crime.  

The four men have been charged with the following: 

• Robert Barceleau, 18, of Huntington Park was charged with one count of murder with special circumstances of murder during an attempted robbery and personal use of a firearm; one count of attempted robbery with personal use of a firearm; and one count of grand theft with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm 

• Leonel Guitierrez, 18, of L.A. County was charged with one count of attempted robbery with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm; and one count of grand theft with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm 

• Sergio Estrada, 18, of L.A. County was charged with one count of murder with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm; one count of attempted robbery with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm; and one count of grand theft with an allegation of principal armed with a firearm 

• Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood was charged with one count of accessory after the fact to murder; one count of receiving stolen property; and three counts of being a felon with a firearm 

“Johnny Wactor’s life was senselessly taken while he was simply walking to his parked car in downtown Los Angeles. We are committed to seeking justice for Mr. Wactor and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable for their actions,” District Attorney Gascón said in a news release. “Mr. Wactor’s work and presence touched the lives of many, and our hearts go out to his family, friends and the entire community who mourn this devastating loss.” 

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass thanked investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department “for their work and partnership throughout the investigation and for their continued efforts to keep Angelenos safe and to bring justice to victims of violence.”  

Barceleau is being held without bail. Estrada is being held on $2,070,000 bail and Olano on $1,080,000 bail. Gutierrez’ bail was set at $120,000.  

If convicted as charged, Barceleau faces life in prison without parole. Estrada faces a maximum of life, while Olano could get nearly six years in prison and Gutierrez could see a sentence of nearly five years.  

A city in Oklahoma has agreed to pay a settlement of more than $7 million to a former death row inmate who was exonerated after nearly 50 years in prison over his wrongful incarceration.

Glynn Ray Simmons, 71, was the longest-serving inmate to be deemed innocent of a crime. He had been convicted of robbing a liquor store and fatally shooting the clerk, but has maintained that he was in Louisiana when the crime occurred.

The Edmond City Council voted last week to settle the lawsuit Simmons brought against the city and a former police detective for $7.15 million, according to The Associated Press.

“Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit,” Simmons’ attorney, Elizabeth Wang said in a statement. “Although he will never get that time back, this settlement with Edmond will allow him to move forward” with his life.

OKLAHOMA FAMILY RECALLS HOSPITAL NIGHTMARE AFTER COLLEGE STUDENTS DRUGGED AT CANCUN RESORT

Advertisement

Glynn Ray Simmons, 71, was the longest-serving inmate to be declared innocent of a crime. (Getty Images)

Police allegedly falsified a report by saying that a witness who was wounded in the shooting identified Simmons and co-defendant Don Roberts as the suspects who robbed the store and shot the clerk, according to the lawsuit, which also says police withheld evidence showing that the witness identified two other people as suspects.

Simmons was freed from prison in July of last year after a judge vacated his conviction and sentence and ordered a new trial.

Oklahoma County District Attorney Vickie Behenna said two months later that she would not retry the case since there is no longer physical evidence against Simmons.

A judge exonerated Simmons in December, stating that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that he was innocent.

Advertisement

Simmons received $175,000 from the state of Oklahoma for his wrongful conviction.

WATCH: OKLAHOMA DOG IGNITES FIRE AFTER CHEWING ON LITHIUM-ION BATTERY

A judge exonerated Glynn Simmons in December, stating that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that he was innocent. (Getty Images)

He served 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison, making him the longest serving inmate in the U.S. to be exonerated, according to The National Registry of Exonerations.

Simmons and Roberts were both convicted in 1975 of the 1974 murder of 30-year-old liquor store clerk Carolyn Sue Rogers, and both were sentenced to death.

Advertisement

Their sentences were reduced to life in prison in 1977 following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring capital punishment unconstitutional, which led the Oklahoma Supreme Court to rule that all death penalty sentences before July 24, 1976, should be commuted to life in prison without parole.

Roberts was released on parole in 2008.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read the full article from Here

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is looking for more victims of a man who allegedly molested a girl for two years.

Gerardo Palestino, 64, was arrested at his Adelanto home on Saturday, one day after a girl reported to authorities that she had been molested by a relative for the past two years, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.

“During the investigation, Detective C. Bennington was able to corroborate the victim’s allegations,” the release added.

Palestino faces charges of orally copulating with a minor, continued sexual abuse of a child, lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14, and sexual penetration by force. The Sheriff’s Department also listed a charge of incest, though it was not reflected in jail records.

Palestino is being held at the High Desert Detention Center in lieu of $500,000 bail. He’s due to appear in Victorville Superior Court on Tuesday.

Investigators “have reason to believe there could be additional victims,” and anyone with information is asked to call Bennington at 760-552-6800.

To report information anonymously, call WeTip at 800-78CRIME or visit wetip.com.