A individual in Los Angeles perished in custody, prior to his trial for the homicide and dismemberment of his spouse and her parents.
Samuel Bond Haskell, a Los Angeles resident, found himself at the centre of a shocking murder case in November 2023. Haskell, the son of Emmy-winning television producer Sam Haskell, was charged with the murders of his wife, Mei Haskell (37), and her parents, Yanxiang Wang (64) and Gaoshan Li (72). All four shared a home in Tarzana, Los Angeles.
The case against Haskell was built on a series of compelling pieces of evidence. On November 7, Haskell allegedly hired day laborers to remove heavy black plastic trash bags from his home. One laborer opened a bag and saw human body parts, promptly calling 911. Unfortunately, by the time the police arrived, the bags had been removed from the property.
The following day, a man rummaging through a nearby dumpster in Encino discovered a woman's torso, later identified as Mei Haskell. Surveillance footage showed Haskell dumping trash bags from his Tesla into that dumpster. Inside the family home, detectives found blood and other physical evidence consistent with homicide and dismemberment.
Investigators also uncovered a bloody knife in Haskell's possession with DNA evidence linked to all three victims. Other items found included a cutting saw, machetes, knives, a .357-caliber firearm, and a bloody plywood board used in the killings.
Haskell pleaded not guilty to charges that included special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, facing life imprisonment without parole. The motive behind the murders remains unclear, although it was revealed that Haskell was having an affair with a 27-year-old woman.
On November 8, 2023, Haskell was arrested at an Airbnb where he had been staying with his children since the killings. The bodies of Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshan Li have not been found, but bloodstains on a gun and knife found in the rented SUV matched the DNA of all three victims, authorities said.
In a surprising turn of events, Haskell died by suicide in custody on July 12, 2025, just days before a court hearing to decide if he should stand trial. The cause of his death is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office.
The children of Haskell and his wife were unharmed and are now living with relatives. The Haskell family has expressed grief over the loss of life in this case. District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated that Haskell's suicide allowed him to escape justice and denied the victims' relatives a chance to face him.
This tragic case serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and betrayal within families. The investigation and trial, though cut short, have provided a chilling glimpse into the events that unfolded in that Tarzana home.
- The shocking murder case involving Samuel Bond Haskell, a resident of Los Angeles, has been the subject of general news and politics, with crime-and-justice agencies heavily involved in the investigation.
- The gruesome killings of Mei Haskell, Yanxiang Wang, and Gaoshan Li, despite resulting in the arrest and subsequent suicide of Haskell, have left an unsettling impression on the community, highlighting the potential for war-and-conflicts even within families.
