Content warning: This story involves murder and suicide.
A shocking twist has emerged in a California murder case. Samuel Haskell, 37, who was accused of killing and dismembering his wife and her parents, was found dead in his jail cell on July 12 in what officials believe was a suicide, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Haskell, whose father is former Hollywood agent and ex-Miss America CEO Sam Haskell III, is said to have left a note. He had been scheduled to appear in court on July 14 and had pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to inmate records reviewed by E! News.
The young Haskell was born on April 3, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. Samuel married Mei Li Haskell, a 37-year-old immigrant from China who was the primary provider for their family. Samuel Haskell IV did not work a traditional full-time job but instead focused on creative pursuits within the entertainment and fashion industries. He described himself as a director of music videos and fashion editorials and graduated from California State University, Northridge in 2011. He also built an online presence under the name “tragicstreetz,” where he shared fashion and pop culture commentary, primarily through Instagram and TikTok per PEOPLE.
He was arrested in November 2023 after a woman’s torso was found stuffed in a plastic bag near a dumpster in Encino, California, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Evidence at the scene led investigators to the home he shared with his wife, Mei Li Haskell, 37, their three sons, and her parents, Gaoshan Li, 71, and Yanxiang Wang, 64. Inside the house, detectives discovered signs of a violent crime, including blood evidence, LAPD Detective Efren Gutierrez said at the time.
DNA testing later confirmed the torso belonged to Mei Li, though her parents’ remains were never recovered. Days after his arrest, Samuel was formally charged with three counts of murder. If convicted, he faced a possible life sentence without the chance of parole. He was being held without bail when he died.
The couple’s three children were initially found in the care of relatives and were later placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, according to ABC7.
