The California man accused of tossing a dismembered torso believed to be his wife’s in a dumpster was officially charged with her and her parents’ murders Monday as prosecutors announced they had evidence allegedly proving he chopped up the victims’ bodies in his home.
Samuel Haskell IV, the son of a powerful Hollywood exec, was hit with three counts of murder, which could lead to a life prison sentence if convicted, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.
The 35-year-old low-budget director of slasher flicks was arrested on suspicion of murder last week after a human torso was found in a bag discarded in a shopping mall dumpster, authorities said.
The alleged killer lived in the Tarzana neighborhood with his wife Mei Li Haskell, 37, and their three young children, as well as with her parents Gaoshan Li, 72, and Yanxiang Wang, 64.
Mei Li and her parents were last seen on or about Nov. 6, the DA’s office said.
Haskell reportedly hired four day laborers to carry away heavy black plastic trash bags from his home, prosecutors said.
”One of the laborers opened one of the bags and allegedly observed human body parts. They called 911 and reported the incident,” the DA’s office said.
While the workers returned the bags and $500 in cash to Haskell, the trash bags were gone by the time police arrived.
Haskell was later seen on video throwing something in a dumpster in Encino, about five miles from the family’s multimillion-dollar Tarzana home, authorities said.
He was arrested after someone going through the trash found a woman’s torso and dialed 911.
The body part is suspected to belong to Mei Li, but the remains have not yet been positively identified, KNBC reported.
“We suspect that the torso … is the body of Mei Haskell,” Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said Monday. “No other bags containing body parts or remains have been recovered to date but I don’t need a body to charge a murder.”
“There were items of evidence in the house that indicated he dismembered the bodies,” Silverman added.
Haskell is the son of Sam Haskell III, the former executive vice president and global head of the William Morris Agency who represented numerous A-listers.
The Emmy-winning producer retired from the agency in 2005 and is currently listed as the president of Magnolia Hill Productions.
Neighbors of the Haskell told The Post Monday he was obsessed with samurai swords, guns and martial arts.
The accused murderer also made several low-budget slasher movies that often featured violent fight scenes and fetishized Asian women.
Haskell appeared in front of a Los Angeles judge Monday, with his arraignment pushed back to next month.
He remains in jail without bail.
With Post wires
