A Hollywood agent’s son, Samuel Haskell IV, appeared in court Monday wearing a suicide vest, accused of killing his wife and in-laws.
Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet ordered Haskell held without bail at Monday’s Los Angeles Superior Court hearing
His arraignment was postponed until December 8th. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Haskell lived with his wife Mei, 37, their three sons and their parents YanXiang Wang, 64, and Gaoshan Li, 72, in Tarzana, California, 25 miles north of LA.
The brief hearing did not mention whether the bodies of the three alleged victims had been found.
Samuel Haskell IV appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on Nov. 13 before Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet on charges of murder and disposing of his wife’s body in a trash can on Nov. 13
Samuel Haskell IV, 35, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder after a dismembered woman’s torso was found near his home in California
The judge allowed a photographer into court, but then ruled that pictures could not show Haskell’s face.
Assistant District Attorney Beth Silverman argued that this had already been shown in news articles and social media, but Judge Guillemet stood by her decision.
“These shocking and cruel crimes have sent shockwaves through our community.” “We stand with the victims’ families during this unimaginably difficult time and will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served,” said District Attorney George Gascón on Monday in announcing the indictment.
Haskell was arrested after a woman’s dismembered torso was discovered in a dumpster in Encino last week. The body has not been positively identified by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
He is currently being held on $2 million bail after being arrested on suspicion of murder when a headless torso was found in a dumpster near his home.
Haskell, 35, whose father Samuel Haskell III was executive vice president and worldwide television head of the William Morris Endeavor talent agency.
His clients included Dolly Parton, George Clooney, Kathie Lee Gifford, Whoopi Goldberg and King Charles’ brother, Prince Edward.
According to the criminal complaint, Haskell allegedly killed his wife and in-laws on November 6th.
Friends of Mei Haskkell come to court to charge Samuel Haskell with murder
Haskell’s tattooed arms were visible as he was bare-chested beneath a blue suicide vest
Friends of Mei Haskell, some in tears, gathered outside the courthouse with banners demanding justice for the mother of three.
They tried to get a glimpse of their alleged killer, but he was slumped behind a glass partition in the courtroom. His tattooed arms were visible with his bare torso under his blue suicide vest.
“We are absolutely devastated.” Mei was such a shining light and loved her children so much. “She wanted to create a wonderful world for them, and she did,” said a family friend, asking to remain anonymous. “She was an important part of our community.”
“Mei is just an incredible person.” “We are here to make sure our friend gets the justice she deserves.”
Earlier Monday, it was reported that Haskell had an unusual preoccupation with guns and kept a large collection in the family home he shared with his missing wife, in-laws and three young children.
“He was obsessed with guns,” neighbor Elle Benami told . “He had a samurai sword and a crossbow. He did martial arts. I think he was a black belt and went to Japan to practice martial arts.”
Benami said Haskell had weapons in the house and explained that despite her close friendship with his missing wife, Mei Li Haskell, she would not allow her children to enter the house.
can reveal that Haskell, the son of a Hollywood agent, had a “gun obsession” and kept a collection in the family home
Haskell’s fascination with weapons became even clearer when discovered music videos he directed and posted to his Instagram page under the handle TragicStreetz. A video showed a man in a red beret brandishing a sword
The videos show men attacking each other with huge axes and swords. In one video, a man was seen pointing a long sword at another man’s neck with the hashtag #DemonHills
The Haskells moved to the quiet, family-oriented community of Tarzana, about 25 miles north of Los Angeles, in December 2020.
“The kids could play here at my house or usually in the front yard.” “I was okay with the kids playing in their front yard,” said Benami, who feared that with so many guns in the house something could accidentally happen.
Haskell’s sons even bragged to other neighborhood children about having guns in the house, which did not please their loving mother Mei and may well have been a constant point of contention between the couple.
“Would I say they seemed like a happy couple? No, but I definitely didn’t expect something like that. “I could never have imagined what happened,” Benami said.
“He was obsessed with guns,” neighbor Elle Benami told
Benami revealed that she and another friend of Mei’s, whose identity was withheld, were questioned by investigators following Haskell’s arrest Wednesday morning and received disturbing news that body parts and blood had been discovered in the house.
“I was interviewed by several homicide detectives. They asked me questions about Mei, what I knew about her family, when I had last seen her, about the boys and the husband.
“We were the first two people who were told that they had found body parts in the house,” said the mother of four. “When they gave us this news it was completely surreal.”
“Our children are the same age, so we spent a lot of time together, especially during Covid.” “We went on daily walks and the children always played together.”
“You couldn’t ask for a better neighbor.” “Mei was a great mother, a great person and a great daughter to her parents,” Benami said.
Haskell’s fascination with weapons became even clearer when discovered music videos he directed and posted to his Instagram page under the handle TragicStreetz.
The videos show men attacking each other with huge axes and swords. In one video, a man was seen pointing a long sword at another man’s neck with the hashtag #DemonHills.
Another video showed a man with a gun in his hand, spooky music playing in the background, while a man in a red beret swings his sword around.
Another video shows a machine gun glorifying the weapon with hypnotic music in the background.
Mei Haskell (left), her mother YanXiang Wang, 64, and her father Gaoshan Li, 72, are all missing. Haskell was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, Mei
A bag containing a headless torso was stuffed into a duffel bag and thrown into this dumpster behind Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue, near a family restaurant, a hair salon and two banks
Although Mei spent a lot of time together, she never expressed any concerns about her husband. Benami now believes that Mei was trying to protect her by not involving her in their marital problems.
Benami said she never had a conversation with Haskell in all the years they lived next door.
“I wasn’t close to him. It was like hello, waving to each other. He didn’t make eye contact. He usually walked alone around the neighborhood.
While many neighbors questioned Haskell’s strange behavior, Benami believes he may be suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome, which could explain his repulsive antics, especially at the many parties his wife so carefully organized.
“One time she brought ponies to her front yard for her son’s birthday. “She did her best with parties,” Benami said. “He was kind of off.” I don’t really talk to anyone. Be sure to say hello and don’t ignore anyone. He usually disappeared for a while. He smiled, outwardly friendly.’
“Mei was generally a happy person, very sweet. “Really cute and funny,” Benami told . “She often brought small gifts. She brought over two huge boxes of strawberries. When my water heater died, she insisted we come over to her place to shower. I was the only one who asked her about it.’
“I know her parents, they lived here. They were often in the front yard. They had actually set up two chairs and were sitting there waving. I couldn’t communicate with them because they didn’t speak English, but they were very warm, very kind and very good with children.
“I don’t have a good feeling.” I don’t think I’ll ever see these three again. She would never leave without the children. She was a great mother and her three sons were very attached to her.
“She did everything for them.” Her whole life revolved around the boys. They did all sorts of extracurricular activities and were very talented boys. She had high hopes for them. To her parents, she was an all-round good mother, a good person and a good daughter.
“I met his parents many times. They are very friendly. You’re from Mississippi. You wouldn’t miss a single birthday party. His sister Mary Elaine was very involved.’
Haskell is the son of former top Hollywood agent Samuel Haskell III and former Miss Mississippi Mary Donnelly-Haskell. They are seen with Haskells Sr.’s client, Dolly Parton
According to his IMDB page and social media accounts, Haskell worked as a videographer and producer in Los Angeles
Haskell lived with his wife’s parents and their three children, as well as his in-laws YanXiang Wang, 64, and Gaoshan Li, 72, who are currently missing.
The three children, ages 6, 8 and 12, were found safe at school and are now with their family.
The murder suspect’s father was also CEO of the Miss America Organization from 2015 to 2017, but resigned after it was discovered that he had criticized some of the contestants in private emails, mocking one for gaining weight and calling another promiscuous .
Haskell III is married to a former Miss Mississippi, Mary Donnelly Haskell, his college sweetheart, and the couple has a daughter, Mary Lane, and their son, Sam IV.
In his Magnolia Hill biography, the 68-year-old senior Haskell says he was “widely known as “the nice guy in Hollywood.”
He continues: “Haskell is revered for rising to the top of a turbulent and often unconscionable company with his character, integrity and value system intact.”
“His reputation for honesty, integrity, loyalty and fairness made him a consistent force in a sea of contradictions and someone with whom actors, writers, directors and other industry professionals wanted to work.”
His son’s arrest has rocked their Tarzana neighborhood after the headless torso believed to belong to Wei was found in a dumpster by a homeless man around 6 a.m.
The dumpster was captured in chilling surveillance footage showing a man struggling to lift a large black bag from the trash before speeding away.