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The Los Angeles Police Department has released photos of three suspects wanted in connection with the murder of General Hospital star Johnny Wactor, as the killers remain at large over two months on from the shooting.
Wactor was shot dead on 25 May when he confronted three men who were trying to steal the catalytic converter on his car, police said.
New photos, released on Sunday, show the three suspects standing around a black four-door Infiniti Q50 sedan with a tan interior in a Los Angeles parking lot. The vehicle has been identified as stolen, the LAPD said.
The three men are all wearing dark and hooded clothing with police revealing that the suspect believed to have shot Wactor has a distinctive tattoo above his left eye and on his right cheek.
Following the shooting, the hooded men fled the scene in the stolen sedan.
Wactor had been working as a bartender in restaurant and lounge bar Level 8 on the night of his death.
He was walking his coworker Anita Joy to her car at around 3 am after their shift at the bar when they stumbled upon the three men.
Wactor, 37, initially believed his car was being towed and he confronted the suspects, Joy revealed.
When he confronted them, one of the men opened fire, shooting him in the chest.
He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Following his death, Joy took to Instagram to say that her “heart is shattered” with the loss of her “beautiful” friend of eight years.
Joy also called the man who shot Wactor a “coward” and demanded to see “these awful men brought to justice.”
Wactor’s ex-fiancée Tessa Farrell posted an emotional video on Instagram and TikTok back in May, pleading for help in identifying and catching his killers.
Through tears, Farrell addressed his killer directly: “If the person who did this, if you’re watching, I’m sorry, but you shot the wrong guy.”
The Hollywood star also asked for people to “be like Johnny and stand up and do what’s right”, as she hit out at the crime rates in California.
“Do you want better laws to reduce the escalating crime and theft rates in California?” she wrote.
“If you’d like to help raise awareness for stricter crime and theft laws in California, please use hashtag #justiceforjohnny.”
Wactor’s mother Scarlett has also previously spoken out about the loss of her “hero” son, telling NBC News’ Morgan Chesk in late May that she was “thankful” that he did not die alone.
Wactor’s former General Hospital co-stars also paid tribute to him following his death, hailing him as a “special person” who was “humble” and “caring”.
Emmy-nominated actor Kirsten Storms, who plays Maxie Jones on the show, wrote on Instagram that “Johnny was one of those rare ‘real individuals’ that you almost never come across.”
The official Instagram page for the tv show, which is the longest-running Hollywood serial, posted a statement saying: “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing. He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day,” the post continued, “our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”
A march demanding justice for Wactor and a “safe city” took place on June 12, followed by a “Mile for Johnny” event on 29 June.
No arrests have been made in relation to Wactor’s murder.
