CA - Sam Haskell, 35, arrested after woman's torso found in a trash bin in Encino LA, Tarzana, wife & two adult family members missing, 8 Nov 2023

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Tuesday, March 26th:
*Pretrial Conference/Trial Setting Hearing (@ 8:30am PT) – CA – Mei Li Haskell (37) found dismembered in a parking lot dumpster near Ventura Blvd & Rubio Ave, Nov. 8, 2023 (ID’d Dec. 18, 2023] in Encino; missing Mei’s parents Yanxiang Wang (64) & Gaoshan Li (72) - *Samuel Bond Haskell IV aka Samuel Basshinger (stage name) (35) arrested & charged (11/13/23) & arraigned (1/12/24) with 3 counts of murder. Held with no bond. Plead not guilty. Held at the Valley Jail in Van Nuys.
Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet presiding. L.A. County Deputy DA Beth Silverman & Defense attorney Joseph Weimoritz.
Case & Court info from 11/8/23 to 12/18/23 reference post #309 here:
[URL='https://www.websleuths.com/fo...embers-missing-8-nov-2023.695475/page-16[/url]

1/12/24 Update: Haskell had an appearance in court Friday in Los Angeles, where he & his lawyers officially entered not guilty pleas to the 3 counts of murder. Haskell remains jailed without bail. He is due back on 2/16/24. A date is expected to be set then for a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to require him to stand trial.
2/16/24 Update: Next pretrial conference for trial setting on 3/26/24 @ 8:30am.
3/14/24 Update: Mei Li Haskell may have still been alive when she was decapitated, an autopsy released Thursday by the L.A. Medical Examiner found. Her head, arms & legs were noted as absent. The report noted a “sharp force injury at the heck? & the bone margins at the amputation areas described as “remarkably smooth”, suggesting a “a sharp powered tool was likely used” in the amputations. There was no definitive indication that the dismemberment occurred ante-mortem, however, the possibility that the head & neck removal was initiated prior to death cannot be entirely excluded.” While there was no indication the head was removed after death, the autopsy did not rule out that Mei Li was still alive when she was decapitated. There were no other fatal injuries identified on the torso. While the remains did not include the head, the coroner concluded that the most likely mechanisms of death were blunt force, gunshot or sharp force trauma to the head/neck of asphyxia. The coroner also did not rule out the possibility of poisoning.
 
Couldn't find any articles on the hearing from Tuesday - but looks like his case was bound over for trial - have his next hearing date.

Case Number Case Title Hearing Type Hearing Date Department
23CJCF00013-01 The People of the State of California vs. Haskell, Samuel Bond Preliminary Hearing Setting 07/18/2024 8:30AM Clara Shortridge Foltz Dept. - 110

link: LA Court
 
Couldn't find any articles on the hearing from Tuesday - but looks like his case was bound over for trial - have his next hearing date.

Case Number Case Title Hearing Type Hearing Date Department
23CJCF00013-01 The People of the State of California vs. Haskell, Samuel Bond Preliminary Hearing Setting 07/18/2024 8:30AM Clara Shortridge Foltz Dept. - 110

link: LA Court
Well, they’re moving forward with this. Heaven knows there’s plenty of evidence.
 
I hope they put a shirt on him, regardless. MOO.

I guess there has never been any indication from LE where Mei's parents' bodies may be? It is upsetting that they have not been found, imo.
I suspect they were put in other dumpsters, probably in pieces, as was the rest of Mei's body. If they haven't been found by now, I doubt they will be. I think they're buried deep in a landfill.

MOO
 
Mei Li's autopsy report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, obtained by several news outlets last week, noted the 37-year-old mother of three suffered a "sharp force injury at the neck," with the bone margins in the amputated areas described as "remarkably smooth," suggesting "a sharp powered tool was liely used" during the amputations.

While there was no indication her head was removed after death, the autopsy did not rule out Mei Li was still alive when she was decapitated, according to the report. The report did not list ay other fatal injuries to her torso.

There were no drugs in her system, the report stated, but coroners could not rule out that she was poisoned with an unknown substance.

"Given the circumstance of the case, which includes the deliberate concealment of the body by dismemberment and disposal, the cause of death is homicidal violence," the autopsy report stated.
 
Mei Li's autopsy report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, obtained by several news outlets last week, noted the 37-year-old mother of three suffered a "sharp force injury at the neck," with the bone margins in the amputated areas described as "remarkably smooth," suggesting "a sharp powered tool was liely used" during the amputations.

While there was no indication her head was removed after death, the autopsy did not rule out Mei Li was still alive when she was decapitated, according to the report. The report did not list ay other fatal injuries to her torso.

There were no drugs in her system, the report stated, but coroners could not rule out that she was poisoned with an unknown substance.

"Given the circumstance of the case, which includes the deliberate concealment of the body by dismemberment and disposal, the cause of death is homicidal violence," the autopsy report stated.
I really hope this guy takes a plea deal, if nothing else to spare the family, friends and general public from having to hear any more details. Pity the poor jurors, too.
 
I really hope this guy takes a plea deal, if nothing else to spare the family, friends and general public from having to hear any more details. Pity the poor jurors, too.
I truly hope he never sees the light of day again as a free man. He is truly an unhinged psychopath walking among us. He dropped his kids off at school that morning and had 'playdate' discussions with a few of the other parents, hours after he dismembered the 3 bodies. :mad:
 
Thursday, July 18th:
*Preliminary Hearing Setting (@ 8:30am PT) – CA – Mei Li Haskell (37) found dismembered in a parking lot dumpster near Ventura Blvd & Rubio Ave, Nov. 8, 2023 (ID’d Dec. 18, 2023] in Encino; missing Mei’s parents Yanxiang Wang (64) & Gaoshan Li (72) - *Samuel Bond Haskell IV aka Samuel Basshinger (stage name) (35/now 36) arrested & charged (11/13/23) & arraigned (1/12/24) with 3 counts of murder. Held with no bond. Plead not guilty. Held at the Valley Jail in Van Nuys. L.A. County
Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet presiding. L.A. County Deputy DA Beth Silverman & Defense attorney Joseph Weimoritz.
Case & Court info from 11/8/23 to 2/16/24 reference post #321 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/...ily-members-missing-8-nov-2023.695475/page-17

3/14/24 Update: Mei Li Haskell may have still been alive when she was decapitated, an autopsy released Thursday by the L.A. Medical Examiner found. Her head, arms & legs were noted as absent. The report noted a “sharp force injury at the heck? & the bone margins at the amputation areas described as “remarkably smooth”, suggesting a “a sharp powered tool was likely used” in the amputations. There was no definitive indication that the dismemberment occurred ante-mortem, however, the possibility that the head & neck removal was initiated prior to death cannot be entirely excluded.” While there was no indication the head was removed after death, the autopsy did not rule out that Mei Li was still alive when she was decapitated. There were no other fatal injuries identified on the torso. While the remains did not include the head, the coroner concluded that the most likely mechanisms of death were blunt force, gunshot or sharp force trauma to the head/neck of asphyxia. The coroner also did not rule out the possibility of poisoning. Next pretrial conference for trial setting on 3/26/24 @ 8:30am.
3/26/24 Update: No info on hearing. Next preliminary hearing setting on 7/18/24 @ 8:30am.
 

Haskell has signed off on [Britney Spears’s former conservator] JM being appointed the children's temporary financial guardian in May – a decision due to be confirmed in a hearing in August.
JM has also petitioned to be named the administrator of Mei's estate – which includes the family home[.]

Although Haskell's name was added to the deeds in 2022[,] he will not be allowed to touch the proceeds from any sale due to California's 'slayer statute' if he is found guilty of Mei's murder.
JM has also been appointed the special administrator of Mei's probate estate which enables her to deal with problems connected to the home, including security.
 
Case Number Case Title Hearing Type Hearing Date Department
23CJCF00013-01 The People of the State of California vs. Haskell, Samuel Bond Preliminary Hearing Setting 07/18/2024 8:30AM Clara Shortridge Foltz Dept. - 110

23CJCF00013-01 The People of the State of California vs. Haskell, Samuel Bond Pretrial Conference/Trial Setting 10/15/2024 8:30AM Clara Shortridge Foltz Dept. - 110

link: LA Court
 
it's the kissy face for me, [really miss that vomit emoticon days like this]
He's like an evil villain character that would fit in with the SNL recurring skit "The Californians." I'm not making light of the situation, just commenting on his demeanor, which I find extremely bizarre - not just in court but his social media videos that I recall watching when the case first broke.


jmo
 
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He's like an evil villain character that would fit in with the SNL recurring skit "The Californians." I'm not making light of the situation, just commenting on his demeanor, which I find extremely bizarre - not just in court but his social media videos that I recall watching when the case first broke.


jmo

Agree. Always seems not quite right. Imo.
 
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found an article on the hearing going thru the tweet that Dotta posted above.


July 19, 2024
.....

A date was supposed to be scheduled for a preliminary hearing where LA's District Attorney will present evidence and testimony and Judge Lench will rule whether the case against Haskell is strong enough for him to be tried by a jury.

But after consulting in chambers with prosecutor Beth Silverman and Haskell's attorney, Joseph Weimortz, Judge Lench delayed the setting of the prelim date by 90 days to a hearing on October 15.

That likely means he won't have a full preliminary hearing till at least another 90 days after that, meaning January 2025.
 

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