SAMUEL Haskell Jr. was arrested on suspicion of the murder of his missing wife Mei on November 8, 2023, after the torso of a woman was found in an Encino strip mall dumpster.
A week later, on November 13, Haskell Jr. was charged with the murder of three victims.
Who is Samuel Haskell Jr?
Samuel Bond Haskell IV, 35, was a director and producer who worked with Tyga and Machine Gun Kelly as an editor, according to his page on X, formerly Twitter.
He’s also directed photoshoots with actresses including Olivia Holt and Brenda Song.
“I want to create visuals that move boundaries, by bringing Millennial artists together,” he wrote on his website.
Haskell Jr. had several social media accounts under the names Sam Haskell Jr., Samuel Basshinger, and tragizstreetz.
His TikTok and Instagram include posts of him complaining about Hollywood and poking fun at celebrity gossip.
In one clip he says: “Shout out to LinkedIn for making it so much more streamlined for me to be told ‘no’ repeatedly.”
Before his arrest, Haskell Jr. was reportedly working on his writing and directorial debut, Harvard Law, starring Mickey Koga, Alex Kawaguchi, and Kaile Goh.
Who is Samuel Haskell’s father?
Sam Haskell III is a top Hollywood executive and former agent who represented several A-listers, including George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, and Kathie Lee Gifford.
The Emmy Award winner is the former executive vice president and head of television at the William Morris Board of Directors.
He is currently the president of Magnolia Hill Productions — the company behind a number of Dolly Parton TV specials.
When was Samuel Haskell Jr. arrested?
Haskell Jr. was arrested on suspicion of murder on November 8, 2023, after a woman’s torso inside a duffel bag that had been tossed into a dumpster was discovered at a strip mall in Encino, California.
Reports from construction workers first raised suspicions, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate.
Detective Efren Gutierrez told local NBC affiliate KNBC that the workers noted “what looked like human remains at the property” in bags in the couple’s driveway in Tarzana on November 7.
He said: “When the officers responded, nothing was located. There was no evidence that allowed the officers to make entry into the home.
“The bags that were described were no longer outside.”
The dismembered torso was found the next day at a strip mall located about five miles from the home in Tarzana, where Haskell Jr. and his wife Mei lived with her parents.
The discovery of the torso and video evidence collected near the scene prompted Haskell’s arrest. Authorities believe it was Mei’s torso that was discovered.
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Haskell and Mei have three children together — Sam, James, and William — all of whom are in the care of other family members.
A neighbor told Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC that although they knew Mei well, her partner Haskell Jr “seemed strange.”
“The husband — something seemed so off. Something seemed so weird.
“I thought maybe he was sick, or something was wrong. All I said was, I kept saying to my family, ‘something is wrong with him.'”
The LAPD searched the couple’s $2.5 million six-bedroom home and made some grim discoveries, according to Detective Gutierrez.
“Here in the house, once officers made entry, what was discovered was evidence of a crime, including some blood evidence and other items that I’m not going to provide at this point,” Gutierrez said.
Mei’s parents Gaoshan Li, 72, and YanXiang Wang, 64, who are missing, lived with the couple and their three children in Tarzana.
What is Samuel Haskell Jr. accused of?
On Monday, November 13, 2023, Haskell appeared in court where he was charged with three counts of murder.
“These shocking and gruesome crimes have sent shockwaves through our community,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón at his hearing.
He continued: “We stand with the victims’ loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time and will do everything in our power to ensure justice is served.
“Our Major Crimes Division will work tirelessly to bring about a prosecution that reflects the severity of this devastating crime.”
If convicted, Haskell could face life in prison without parole.
Haskell’s arraignment was on December 8, 2023, where he appeared shirtless, due to being placed on suicide watch, according to DailyMail.
He was shirtless in court again on January 12, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder.
His lawyer, Joseph Weimortz, discredited the suicide watch.
He also told Fox News that his client has a medical condition that prevents him from wearing a vest, meaning that he had to show up for Friday’s hearing shirtless.
“This has led to rampant speculation in the media,” he said in the email.
“This situation is dehumanizing and creates an inaccurate image of Mr. Haskell.”
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Haskell is expected back in court on February 16, where it is expected to be determined if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.
