Who is Samuel Haskell? Tarzana man arrested after dismembered torso found in a dumpster amid wife's disappearance

Samuel Haskell, a 35-year-old man from Tarzana, Los Angeles, was arrested after a woman’s dismembered torso was found in a dumpster in a strip mall on Wednesday, November 8.

While the identity of the body is yet to be determined, authorities suspect the torso belongs to Haskell’s missing wife, Mei Haskell, who reportedly vanished alongside her parents Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li.

The parents were supposedly living with the couple and their three young children in Tarzana, California.

Screenshot via Twitter

Detailing the incident, authorities said that on Wednesday morning, a homeless man discovered the torso wrapped in a plastic bag while digging in the dumpster at a strip mall near Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue.

Surveillance video in the area reportedly showed a vehicle driving away from the plaza, leading them to the suspect, Samuel Haskell. Authorities reportedly tracked Haskell's whereabouts to Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, where he was arrested.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Det. Efren Gutierrez with the Los Angeles Police Department said investigators found evidence of crime at Haskell’s Tarzana residence, including blood stains.

The couple's three children were placed in the care of the county Department of Children and Family Services as police continued to investigate the case.

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Samuel Haskell is the son of a prominent Hollywood television producer, Sam Haskell Sr

Det. Efren Gutierrez said that Samuel Haskell's missing wife and her parents are still unaccounted for after the 35-year-old was arrested in connection to the dismembered remains found in a dumpster.

“They would normally be home in these hours, and attempts have been made to contact them by phone, by cell phone and no answer. And the same with Mei. She is unaccounted for,” Gutierrez said.

However, Gutierrez said that investigators believe the torso may be Haskell’s wife. As police continue to investigate the incident, the case has drawn widespread attention, as Samuel Haskell is the son of a prominent Hollywood television producer, Sam Haskell Sr., and former Miss Mississippi Mary Donnelly Haskell.

Sam Haskell Sr, who is the founder and president of Magnolia Hill Productions, which has produced various Dolly Parton specials, resigned as CEO of the Miss America organization after a 2017 email scandal.

Last month, the suspect’s mother, Mary Donnelly Haskell, was inducted into the University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, the suspect’s sister, Mary Haskell, described herself as an actress and blogger in her Facebook profile.

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While not much is known about Samuel Haskell, one woman who spoke with ABC7 Thursday morning and claimed to be his wife Mei’s friend described Haskell as strange. The woman, who allegedly invited the couple to a house party, said:

"They came there ... very nice, beautiful, but the husband ... I was shocked. Something seemed so off. Something seemed so weird. I kept saying to my family, 'Something is wrong with her husband.'"

While it's unclear exactly how long the remains may have been in the dumpster, authorities said that someone reported seeing a body in a black bag near the Tarzana home on Tuesday. However, at the time officers, who responded to the report, were unable to find the body.