Johnny Wactor, a well-known actor from the popular television series “General Hospital,” tragically lost his life due to a gunshot wound to his chest, according to a recent announcement by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. The 37-year-old actor’s death has been officially classified as a homicide.
Wactor’s mother, Scarlett, has publicly mourned her son’s untimely death, describing him as a “hero” and expressing her anger towards the individual responsible for his murder. The incident reportedly occurred over a dispute involving a catalytic converter.
The actor was accompanying a female colleague to her vehicle in the early hours of a Saturday morning in downtown Los Angeles when they encountered three masked individuals attempting to steal the catalytic converter from Wactor’s car. Wactor’s brother shared that the actor was shot when he stepped forward to shield his coworker from the thieves.
Grant Wactor, Johnny’s brother, recounted the incident to People magazine, explaining that Johnny initially thought his vehicle was being towed. When he realized the true nature of the situation, he placed his coworker behind him for protection, at which point he was shot. The perpetrators then fled the scene in a separate vehicle. As of Wednesday afternoon, no suspects have been identified.
Scarlett Wactor revealed that her son often worked additional shifts as a bartender between his acting roles and was working later than usual on the night of his murder. She expressed relief that he was not alone when he died.
Wactor was known for his portrayal of Brando Corbin in 164 episodes of “General Hospital” from 2020 to 2022. His sudden death has sparked an outpouring of grief from his former castmates on social media.
Actress Kristin Storms expressed her disbelief and sadness over Wactor’s death, describing him as a “special person.” She extended her condolences to Wactor’s family, praising him as a “rare ‘real individual’.” Sofia Mattsson, who played the wife of Wactor’s character on “General Hospital,” also shared her grief on Instagram, describing Wactor as “genuine,” “caring,” and “humble.”