Samuel Bond Haskell, the 37-year-old son of a well-known Hollywood executive, was found dead in his jail cell at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, just two days before a court hearing that would decide if he should be put on trial for the alleged murders of his wife and her parents. According to NBC Los Angeles, Haskell was charged with three counts of murder under special circumstances of committing multiple murders, with a possible life sentence without parole if convicted.
Haskell's preliminary hearing was set for July 14, but he died on July 12, as confirmed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Joseph A. Weimortz Jr., Haskell's attorney, indicated that his client was prepared to enter a plea agreement to bypass a preliminary hearing and possible jury trial. "He was not afraid for himself; he was afraid for his boys," Weimortz said in a statement obtained by City News Service. The cause of Haskell's death had not yet been released, while the remains of his wife's parents remain unfound.
Back in November 2023, the dismembered body parts of Mei Lee Haskell, aged 37, were found in a trash bin in Encino. Haskell had been arrested after law enforcement officials received a 911 call from workers whom he had paid to remove heavy trash bags containing the remains. "One of the laborers opened one of the bags and allegedly observed human body parts," according to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office reported by CBS News Los Angeles.
Haskell was on "moderate monitoring" due to the risks for self-harm and had been seen in court wearing an anti-suicide smock. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has been tasked with determining the official cause of death. Meanwhile, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described Haskell's suicide as "one last cruel act by someone who did the most horrific things for reasons we will never entirely know," as NBC Los Angeles reports. For those in need of mental health support, resources are available through a 24/7 helpline provided by LACDMH or by calling or texting 988.
