On July of this year, the suspect Samuel Haskell, who was accused of murdering and dismembering his Chinese wife Li Mei and her parents, died in the Los Angeles Twin Towers Correctional Facility. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office released their latest autopsy report on October 21, revealing more details surrounding his death.
According to reports from NBC News, Haskell, a 37-year-old, whose father is a renowned Hollywood producer and who himself directed horror movies, was found unconscious in his cell at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility on July 12. At that time, prison authorities noticed that the windows in his cell were covered. Shortly after medical personnel arrived, Haskell was pronounced dead.
The newly released autopsy report indicated that Haskell died from massive blood loss caused by cutting his arms veins with a razor.
The report stated that there were multiple cuts below the elbows of Haskell’s arms, severing the major veins on both sides, leading to his cause of death being declared as massive blood loss.
Additionally, the report mentioned that a note was found in Haskell’s left pocket, and no alcohol or drug components were detected in his body.
At the time of the incident, Haskell was scheduled to appear in court to admit to the murder charges. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman expressed in a statement, “The defendant was supposed to face the consequences of his crimes in court, but he ultimately chose to evade it. He didn’t face judgment for his horrendous crimes in court but chose to end his own life instead. This is his final cruel act because of this; the victims’ families will never hear the truth from him.”
It was revealed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that Haskell was categorized as a “moderate supervision” inmate to prevent self-harm. During a previous court appearance, he was seen wearing a suicide-proof garment instead of regular prison attire.
Haskell was charged in 2023 for the murder of his wife Li Mei and her parents Wang Yanxiang and Li Gaoshan. According to police investigations, in November 2023, Haskell was suspected of killing three individuals inside a residence in the Tarzana area of Los Angeles and dismembering his wife.
A homeless person’s report brought the case to light. The reporting individual found a dismembered headless female body in a parking lot dumpster. Subsequent surveillance footage confirmed Haskell moving multiple black plastic bags between his wife’s car and a rented SUV.
A portion of Li Mei’s remains was discovered in a dumpster in the Encino area in November 2023, while the whereabouts of Wang Yanxiang and Li Gaoshan’s bodies remain unknown to this day.
Following the incident, authorities found eight bags of evidence in Haskell’s residence, one of which contained bloodied bedsheets, a saw, a machete, and a bloodstained cane. Although the bodies of the two elderly individuals had not been located, the blood traces on the tools and firearms found in Haskell’s rented SUV matched the DNA of the three victims after DNA testing.
It was reported that after the incident, Haskell had hired temporary workers to transport bags containing human body parts and paid them $500 as compensation. However, upon discovering the body parts inside the bags, the workers returned the bags and money and chose to report the incident to the police. By the time authorities arrived, the bags had disappeared. This incident served as one of the pieces of evidence for the prosecution to convict him.
Police also found a revolver, 32 rounds of ammunition, a blood-covered military knife, a headlamp, and a scope in Haskell’s rented SUV. The blood traces on the military knife matched the DNA of the three victims, while the blood traces on the revolver matched those of Li Mei and Li Gaoshan.
Li Mei, who was born and raised in China, met Haskell while attending university in Southern California. The couple, parents to three children aged 12, 8, and 6, had been married for several years. These three children are currently under the care of relatives and unharmed in this case.
According to The Washington Post, Li Mei had her own business which primarily involved guiding and assisting foreign students in applying to top universities in the United States.
Li Mei’s family lived in a $2.5 million independent house in the Tarzana community of Los Angeles, indicating a relatively affluent lifestyle.
If convicted, Haskell would face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Haskell’s father is Sam Haskell, a Emmy-winning producer and executive at a major talent agency. Haskell himself was a low-budget horror film director who had a strong fascination with various weapons, including firearms and bows and arrows. He and Li Mei had three children together.
According to reports from the American media, Haskell had an extramarital affair with a 27-year-old woman and planned to move to Japan with her after committing the crime.
Following his arrest, Haskell consistently denied the charges. However, while refusing to plead guilty, he failed to explain the source of the bloodstains in his home. He was ruled ineligible for bail by the court and briefly considered waiving his right to a trial by jury to minimize media attention on his children.
Haskell’s defense attorney, Joe Weimortz, expressed in July of this year that Haskell’s suicide “was not an act of cowardice or madness.” The lawyer stated that Haskell “was not afraid of going to prison, but feared the increased scrutiny from media reports,” even willing to end his life for it because he believed it would end the terrible media coverage frenzy.