Sam Haskell Jr., TV Producer’s Son, Pleads Not Guilty to Murdering Wife and Her Parents

January 13, 2024 @ 4:46 PM

Sam Haskell Jr., the son of Hollywood producer Sam Haskell, has pled not guilty to three counts of murder. Haskell was taken into custody in November after the torso of his wife, Mei Haskell, was found in a garbage bag outside a dumpster near the couple’s home.

Haskell is accused of killing his wife and her parents and dismembering their bodies. It took more than a month to identify Mei’s torso. The bodies of her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshan Li, have not been found.

Authorities consider Haskell a suicide risk. The Guardian reported that instead of a typical prisoner’s jumpsuit, Haskell was outfitted in a suicide prevention suit when he appeared in court.

Haskell was arrested on Nov. 8, 2023. His three children were initially taken into state custody before they were placed with family members.

Mei’s torso was found by a homeless man who was searching for recyclables in a dumpster outside a strip mall. Haskell’s arrest came after authorities reviewed security footage from the area.

Days later, a group of day laborers told L.A. NBC affiliate NBC4 that Haskell paid them $500 to take trash bags full of body parts from his home. Upon opening the bags, the men realized what was inside and returned the money and bags to Haskell, then attempted to alert the police.

The men said they were told the bags contained rocks. As one told NBC4, “When we picked up the bags, we could tell they weren’t rocks.” Another added, “I started seeing body parts, a belly button. I was astonished. Of course, I felt bad. We had been tricked.”