The son of a prominent Hollywood agent was arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman’s torso was found in a trash bag.
The Los Angeles Police Department said they arrested Samuel Haskell, after someone rummaging through a dumpster at an Encino strip mall, found the torso on Wednesday , which led detectives to Haskell’s Tarzana home which he shared with his wife, three kids, and his in-laws.
Police were initially called to Haskell’s home on Tuesday night after someone saw what appeared to be body parts in bags outside the home. However, by the time police arrived, the bags were gone.
“There was no evidence that allowed the officers to make entry into the home,” LAPD Det. Efren Gutierrez said, according to The New York Times.
Police suspect Haskell murdered wife and in-laws
Haskell’s wife, Mei Li Haskell, and her parents, 71-year-old Gaoshan Li, and 64-year-old Yanxiang Wang are missing.
“They would normally be home in these hours, and attempts have been made to contact them by phone, by cellphone and no answer. And the same with Mei. She is unaccounted for,” Gutierrez told reporters Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The LAPD has not responded to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Haskell’s three children are being taken cared for by family members, the LAPD said in a press release.
L.A. Police Capt. Scot Williams of the Robbery-Homicide Division told the LA Times that officials believe the torso belongs to Haskell’s wife, but are awaiting forensic confirmation. They suspected he might have also killed his in-laws.
Officials said investigators found blood and other signs of a killing inside Haskell’s home, the LA Times reported.
He’s currently being held on a $2,000,000 bail.
Son of Hollywood agent
The New York Times reported that Haskell is the son of Samuel Haskell III, a prominent talent agent and film producer.
In the late 1990s, the senior Haskell served as the executive vice president of at the William Morris Agency. According to the Times, he was considered one of the most powerful agents at the time, and represented celebrities like George Clooney, Ray Romano and Whoopi Goldberg.
