On November 8, a womanโs torso found in an Encino dumpster is believed to belong to Mei Haskell wife of Sam Haskell Jr, aged 37, as confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department.
Meiโs husband, Samuel Bond Haskell IV, 35, was apprehended as a suspect in her death on the same day and has been charged with one count of murder.
Who is Mei Haskell wife of Sam Haskell Jr who is arrested as she and parents go missing
Southern California man arrested after torso found in dumpster; wife, in-laws missing.
LA murder suspect Sam Haskell's family known for Christmas movies
Los Angeles police homicide detectives have announced an arrest in connection with the discovery of a woman's torso in aโฆ pic.twitter.com/omIWBKgLV6
— Sal Gueli (@sal_gueli) November 10, 2023
Mei Haskell.๐น Sam Haskell Jr is the prime suspect in his wifeโs murder (and in-laws). Remember when his father was forced to resign as Miss America CEO when they found his disturbing offensive emails about former contestants. A case of men teaching each other how to hate women.
— Jessica Ceballos (y Campbell) (@MsOedipaMass) November 9, 2023
The couple resided in a six-bedroom Tarzana home with their three children and Meiโs parents, Gaoshan Li (72) and YanXiang Wang (64), who have also been officially reported missing.
Authorities investigating the Haskell residence have reportedly uncovered blood and other evidence indicative of a violent incident and dismemberment.
LAPD Revealedย
LAPD Detective Efren Gutierrez informed reporters on November 8 that attempts to contact Meiโs parents have been unsuccessful.
Gutierrez stated, โThey would normally be home in these hours, and attempts have been made to contact them by phone, by cellphone, and no answer. And the same with Mei. She is unaccounted for.โ
Investigation is Still On
Police Captain Scot Williams of the Robbery-Homicide Division revealed that the investigation is ongoing, with detectives actively pursuing leads and witnesses.
Court records indicate that Samuel Haskell faced previous legal issues, having been arrested and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon in December 2008. In 2010, he pleaded no contest to battery and was placed on three years probation.
Samuel is the son of Sam Haskell III, the former executive vice president and worldwide head of television for the William Morris Agency, who resigned as CEO of the Miss America organization in 2017 due to an email scandal.
Speaking to KTLA, Mei Haskellโs neighbor and close friend, Elle Benami, noted that the couple did not outwardly display warmth or affection but did not mention any known issues.
Benami, who last saw Mei a week before her disappearance, described Mei as dedicated to her children, emphasizing that they were her entire life.
Following the disturbing discovery, the children have been removed from their schools and are currently staying with relatives. As of now, the investigation is still on and authorities are looking into the matter.