Appearing in a downtown courtroom on Friday, Samuel Bond Haskell, a 35-year-old resident of Tarzana, faced three counts of murder related to the disappearance of his wife and in-laws, who allegedly met a gruesome fate with dismembered body parts tossed into an Encino trash bin. The charges pertain to the murders of his wife Mei Haskell, 37, and her parents, 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang and 72-year-old Gaoshen Li, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
In an unexpected turn of events during the court appearance, Haskell was shirtless, prompting the postponement of his arraignment until January 12, despite objections from prosecutors. He was ordered to be held without bail.
Criminal defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian explained Haskell’s unusual courtroom appearance, citing standard procedures during the initial mental health intake for individuals under arrest. She mentioned the removal of clothing and potential safety measures, such as suicide vests, which are heavy, leaded garments designed to prevent self-harm. Kazarian suggested that Haskell’s vest might have been too large and fallen off, leaving him exposed from the top up.
The victims, who shared a residence on Coldstream Terrace in Tarzana with Haskell and the couple’s three young children, were last seen around November 6. While the children were found and are now under the care of family members, human remains were discovered in an Encino trash bin, prompting Haskell’s arrest.
Prosecutors allege that Haskell attempted to hire day laborers to dispose of bags containing body parts from his home. Failing in this endeavor, he was captured on video dumping the bags from his Tesla into the trash bin near Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Way.
The murder charges include a special circumstance of multiple murders, carrying the possibility of a maximum sentence of life without parole if Haskell is convicted as charged. Forensic testing is ongoing to confirm the identity of the remains found in the trash bin.
