Sam Haskell IV, the Los Angeles man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife and killing her parents in a high-profile 2023 case, died by suicide while in jail, his family’s attorney confirmed this week.
Haskell, 37, had been facing three counts of murder for the deaths of his wife, Mei Li Haskell, and her parents, Gaoshan Li, 72, and Yanxiang Wang, 64. He had been held without bail in Los Angeles County jail since his arrest last November after a human torso—later identified as his wife’s—was discovered in a dumpster.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Haskell was found dead just two days before his scheduled court appearance for a preliminary hearing.
Authorities alleged that Haskell had hired day laborers on Nov. 7, 2023, to dispose of large trash bags, one of which reportedly contained body parts. He was later seen discarding another bag that was found to contain the torso. He had pleaded not guilty and was facing life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
In a statement released to PEOPLE, attorney Joseph Weimortz defended his client, arguing that Haskell’s decisions during the legal process were driven by a desire to protect his three sons from further trauma and media exposure.
“This case has always been about a father who, like many others, would do anything to protect his children,” Weimortz said. “He was not afraid of prison. He was afraid of what every photo, every headline, would do to his boys.”
The attorney detailed Haskell’s health issues—including a colectomy and reliance on an ostomy bag—as a reason for the protective vest he wore in court, which some speculated about due to its unusual appearance.
Weimortz claimed Haskell was prepared to waive his rights to a preliminary hearing, jury trial, and even plead guilty to avoid further media spectacle. “Ultimately, my client was even willing to take his own life, believing it would end this terrible chaos,” the statement read.
Addressing the public and the press, Weimortz added: “You have a right to turn human tragedy into entertainment—but please think of the boys. Think of the legacy they’re left to carry.”
The Haskell family also expressed their grief through the statement, mourning “every single life lost in this case” and requesting privacy as they mourn.
Haskell was the son of Emmy-winning producer and former talent agent Sam Haskell III, who once represented stars such as George Clooney, Dolly Parton, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Sam and Mei Li Haskell shared three children.
