In a chilling turn of events, the Los Angeles County medical examiner has officially identified the dismembered remains found in a dumpster in November as belonging to 37-year-old Mei Li Haskell. Mei’s husband, Samuel Haskell IV, stands accused of her murder, as well as the killing of Mei’s parents, Yanxiang Wang, 64, and Gaoshen Li, 72.
Samuel Haskell IV, 35, hails from a prominent Hollywood lineage as the son of retired ex-Hollywood agent Samuel Haskell III, known for representing A-list celebrities like Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg, and George Clooney.
The shocking revelation came during Haskell’s first court appearance on Dec. 8, where he faced three counts of murder related to the disappearance of his wife and in-laws. Haskell, appearing in a courtroom with an exposed chest, wore an anti-suicide smock.
The horrific incident unfolded when Haskell was caught on video dumping Mei’s dismembered body into a dumpster at a Los Angeles strip mall. The footage surfaced after a homeless man stumbled upon a body part while searching for recyclables, prompting him to alert the authorities. To date, the bodies of Mei’s parents remain missing.
Haskell, Mei, their three children, and Mei’s parents all shared a residence in Tarzana. The children were found unharmed and are now under the care of relatives, while Haskell remains in custody without bail.
The released autopsy report confirms Mei’s death, stating that she was found dead in a parking lot on Nov. 8, the same day the dismembered torso was discovered in the dumpster. However, the cause of death was not disclosed.
Haskell was apprehended on the same day the torso was found, following the reported disappearance of Mei and her parents. Laborers reported that Haskell had hired them to remove heavy trash bags, suspected to contain body parts that he claimed were rocks. A subsequent search of Haskell’s family home uncovered “blood evidence,” indicating a potential crime scene, according to LAPD Detective Efren Gutierrez.
Facing the prospect of a life sentence without parole if convicted on all counts of murder, Haskell’s case stands as a chilling reminder of the darkness that can lurk behind seemingly ordinary facades.