Samuel Haskell IV Dies by Suicide Before Murder Hearing

Samuel Bond Haskell IV, son of Hollywood producer Sam Haskell III, died by suicide in a Los Angeles jail just days before his preliminary hearing for the alleged 2023 murders and dismemberment of his wife, Mei Li Haskell, and her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshan Li. Haskell, who had pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder, was reportedly captured on surveillance footage disposing of garbage bags with the victims' remains and allegedly hired day laborers for their disposal. Only Mei Li's torso was positively identified, while her parents' remains have not been found. His attorney stated Haskell was willing to plead guilty to protect his children from further media attention. Authorities have not released the specific manner of his death, and the case was dismissed following his suicide, leaving the victims' families without a trial. The case's brutality and Haskell's family ties drew widespread media and public attention.