LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Tarzana man who was due in court Monday in connection with the 2023 killings of his wife — whose dismembered body parts were found dumped in a trash bin — and her parents has died in custody, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Samuel Haskell, 37, who in 2023 allegedly paid $500 to laborers to remove three trash bags that were later found to contain body parts, had been due in court Monday for a hearing to determine if there was enough evidence for him to stand trial.
According to the sheriff’s department, Haskell was found dead around 4:20 a.m. Saturday at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles. No additional details were released, and a cause of death was pending a determination by the county medical examiner.
According to Haskell’s attorney, Joseph A. Weimortz Jr., Haskell was planning to waive his right to a preliminary hearing and was willing to enter into a plea agreement, but he apparently killed himself behind bars.
“My client was not afraid of prison, but he was afraid of an even larger media spectacle,” Weimortz said in a statement. “He was not afraid for himself, he was afraid for his boys. He was afraid that every photo taken, every word written, would be a permanent scar his children would have to live with.
“He was afraid that every gory, salacious detail, regardless of its truth or falsity, would be used for public entertainment. In order to avoid more media exposure, he was willing to waive his right to a preliminary hearing. In order to avoid more media exposure, he was willing to waive his right to a jury trial. In order to avoid more media exposure, he was willing to plead.
“My client’s acts were not acts of cowardice or lunacy. Ultimately, my client was even willing to take his own life, believing that it would end this terrible chaos.”
Haskell was charged with killing his wife, 37-year-old Mei Le Haskell, and in-laws — Gaoshan Li, 72, and YanXiang Wang, 64.
The victims, who lived in a Tarzana home in the 4100 block of Coldstream Terrace with Haskell and the couple’s three young children, were last seen on or about Nov. 6, 2024, authorities said.
Haskell was arrested following the discovery of human remains on Nov. 8, 2024, inside a trash bin near Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Way in Encino.
The dismembered body parts were positively identified as Mei Haskell’s remains, authorities said last month. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner listed her cause of death as “deferred.”
Haskell had allegedly hired four day laborers to remove several heavy black plastic trash bags from the home, and 911 was called after one of the workers opened one of the bags and allegedly saw body parts, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
In his statement Monday, Haskell’s attorney said the case “has always been about a father who, like many other American fathers, would do anything to protect his children.”
Responding to Haskell’s death in custody, the sheriff’s department said in a statement, “Any loss of life is tragic, especially those who are within our custody and care. Our highest priority is the safety and security of our inmate population, and we will ensure we continue to provide a constitutional level of care to all individuals housed within our jail facilities. The Department thoroughly investigates each in-custody death for policy and procedure issues. The department oversight bodies, including the Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Justice Monitors are encouraged to participate in the review process and are present to discuss corrective or preventative action.”
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