Johnny Wactor’s ex-fiancee blasts ‘General Hospital’ star’s killers

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Johnny Wactor’s ex-fiancee is distraught over the former General Hospital star’s murder, taking to social media to slam the actor’s killers.

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Wactor, 37, was shot and killed when he interrupted thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car in Los Angeles, his family said Sunday.

His mother, Scarlett Wactor, told ABC 7 that her 37-year-old son had left work at a rooftop bar with a coworker when he saw someone at his car and thought it was being towed. A mask-wearing suspect opened fire, his mother said.

“If the person who did this, if you’re watching, I’m sorry, but you shot the wrong guy,” Wactor’s ex Tessa Farrell said breaking into tears in a video shared to Instagram and TikTok. “You can get a real job. I know the job market’s hard but we’re all in it together. You don’t have to steal — especially take a life over it.”

Farrell went on to beg elected officials to make changes in response to a rising wave of crime in California.

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“These criminals can’t keep being on the street and they can’t keep being sent back and have no repercussions for their actions,” the actress continued. “It’s not OK, this can’t keep happening. So many lives are being lost, just us not being smart — we have to be smarter as a community.”

But as Farrell’s video made the rounds, Wactor’s mother told TMZ that the two hadn’t spoken in years and weren’t close.

“His mom says she wishes Tessa would stop using her son’s name for press,” the outlet reported.

In an interview with NBC News, Scarlett called her son a “hero” revealing that he died shielding a co-worker when gunmen opened fire.

“Johnny thought that (his car) was being towed,” Wactor’s mother recalled in an interview with NBC correspondent Morgan Chesky. “He said, ‘Hey man, you’re towing my car.’ And when the person looked up, they had on a mask. And Johnny stepped in front of the co-worker, and he was shot.”

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Following the shooting, three suspects drove away from the scene, police said. Wactor was rushed to a hospital, where he later died.

“I use the word hero,” Scarlett said, describing her son’s final actions.

No arrests have been made and the Los Angeles Police Department continues its hunt for the three suspects.

“I think they are cowards,” Scarlett said. “As a parent, you never expect to bury a child.”

Wactor played Brando Corbin on the daytime drama from 2020 to 2022, appearing in more than 160 episodes before the character was written out of the series.

After news of his murder broke, General Hospital shared a statement on Instagram calling him “truly one of a kind.”

“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. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”

Sofia Mattson, who plays Sasha Gilmore, the widow of Wactor’s character on General Hospital, told her followers her heart was “utterly broken.”

“Johnny was the absolute best. So genuine. So caring. Incredibly hard working and humble. With a huge heart that spread so much kindness and joy,” she wrote on Instagram. “He always made sure everyone around him felt seen, heard and loved. I admire the man he was so much and I’m a better person for having known him. We shared so many special moments, both on and off screen, and I will forever cherish them deeply in my heart. You will be so incredibly missed Johnny … I’m sure you’re already busy taking care of everyone up there.”

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Bonnie Burroughs, who portrayed Brando’s mom Gladys on the show, said she was “heartbroken and sickened by this terrible loss.”

“Johnny I love you. My heart breaks for your real mom and your whole family. The world is darker now,” she wrote on Instagram.

In addition to his work on the soap opera, Wactor appeared in episodes of Station 19, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Westworld and the video game Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Wactor’s agent, David Shaul, said the actor was “a real moral example to everyone who knew him.”

“In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” Shaul said in a statement Sunday. “Our time with Johnny was a privilege we would wish on everyone. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”

– With files from the Associated Press

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