Man Who Hired Day Laborers To Haul Off His Dismembered Family Dies By Suicide Days Before Guilty Plea

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Tarzana man whom a prosecutor said was expected to enter a guilty plea Monday in connection with the 2023 killings of his wife — whose dismembered body was found dumped in a trash bin — and his in-laws has died in jail.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench she was advised that Samuel Bond Haskell "committed suicide on Saturday morning," just two days before he was scheduled to be brought to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse for what the prosecutor said she "believed was going to be a guilty plea" based on communications with his attorney.

Haskell, now 37, was charged in November 2023 with killing his wife, 37-year-old Mei Li Haskell, his wife's mother, Yanxiang Wang, 64, and his wife's stepfather, Gaoshan Li, 71.

Authorities allege the three were "murdered and dismembered on or about Nov. 6, 2023."

The case against Haskell was dismissed Monday at the defense's request as a result of his death. He had been awaiting a hearing Monday to determine if there was sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.

Haskell's attorney, Joseph A. Weimortz Jr., said in a statement that Haskell was "not afraid of prison, but he was afraid of an even larger media spectacle."

"He was not afraid for himself, he was afraid for his boys," Weimortz said. "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."

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.

"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," Weimortz said in his statement.

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."

"... The Haskell family grieves every single life lost in this case," Weimortz added. "They now respectfully request to be able to mourn in private and welcome your prayers."

• Read more: Suspect In Dismemberment Killings Appears Shirtless In Court

In his own statement, District Attorney Nathan Hochman countered, "Instead of standing before a judge and answering for the crimes he's been charged with, the defendant managed to escape justice. This is one last cruel act by someone who did the most horrific things for reasons we will never entirely know. A family that has been dealing with unimaginable loss now has been robbed of their chance to face him, hold him accountable for his barbaric actions and openly share their grief and their cherished memories of their loved ones."

Haskell had allegedly paid $500 to several day-laborers to remove several heavy black plastic trash bags from the Tarzana home Nov. 7, 2023, and one of the day-laborers opened one of the bags and allegedly observed human body parts after driving away from the residence, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The workers returned the bags and the money to Haskell, took photos of the defendant, the bags and the front of the home, then alerted police, who responded and found that the bags were gone and no one was there, according to the District Attorney's Office,

Haskell was allegedly observed and recorded on video throwing a large garbage bag into a trash bin in the 16000 block of Ventura Boulevard the same day, and someone who was looking through the trash bin the next day found a beheaded torso — subsequently determined to be Haskell's wife — in a trash bag, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Haskell was also allegedly captured Nov. 7, 2023, on surveillance video transferring additional black plastic bags from a Tesla to a rented SUV in which he drove away and in which Los Angeles police found a blood-encrusted military-style knife that authorities said matched DNA from the three victims and a loaded .357-revolver that contained bloodstains that DNA analysis determined matched the genetic profiles of his wife and her stepfather, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The remains of his in-laws — with whom Haskell, his wife and the couple's three young children lived in the 4100 block of Coldstream Terrace — have never been recovered.

Police recovered eight black plastic trash bags filled with items including bloody bedding, towels, a large machine saw, a machete, a plywood board covered in blood, multiple pairs of disposable gloves and canes belonging to his in-laws in the garage and backyard of the family home on Nov. 8, 2023, and subsequent DNA testing of blood found on some of the items, including the saw, machete and plywood board, as well as areas inside the home, matched DNA from all three victims, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Investigators who analyzed the defendant's cell phone records subsequently determined that Haskell had been having an affair with a 27-year- old woman, and that he had allegedly told her that his children would soon be living with his parents, according to the District Attorney's Office.

LAPD homicide detectives recovered a one-way ticket to Japan that he had bought Oct. 21, 2023, and he allegedly purchased a round-trip ticket the next day for his girlfriend to accompany him for about two weeks, authorities said.

Haskell had been staying with his children at an Airbnb in Tarzana after the murders, and investigators determined that he had rented that residence the month before.

Los Angeles police said the children were subsequently placed in the care of family members after Haskell was arrested following the discovery of the portion of his wife's remains. He had remained behind bars since then.

Responding to Haskell's death in custody, the Los Angeles County 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."

Several of Mei Haskell's friends were in court for Monday's brief hearing at which the defendant's death was announced.

"Mei was a devoted mom. Her parents were devoted grandparents and every experience that I had with them was very positive and the boys really thrived ...," Jay Cieplik said outside court.

Jennifer Shpilsky called the woman "one of the most devoted mothers that I know."

"She did everything for those boys and I will always remember that about her and I hope those boys grow up knowing that about her, too," Shpilsky added.

By Terri Vermeulen Keith, City News Service