NEWSHollywood Producer's Son Was Acting 'Weird' Before Being Arrested for Suspected Murder, Neighbors Claim
Samuel Haskell Jr., son of Hollywood television producer Sam Haskell Sr., has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Neighbors claimed that the 35-year-old "seemed off" before the discovery of a dismembered female torso found several miles away from Haskell Jr.'s Los Angeles home.
A neighbor of Samuel Haskell IV, 35, said he displayed strange behavior before he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
"The husband — something seemed so off," the neighbor told news outlets. "Something seemed so weird. I thought maybe he was sick, or something was wrong.
"All I said was, I kept saying to my family, something is wrong with him," she added.
The investigation into the gruesome discovery began when authorities found the dismembered female torso near a dumpster in Encino on Wednesday morning. The human remains have yet to be identified.
Thanks to video evidence from the scene and vehicle information, the Los Angeles Police Department was led to Haskell Jr.'s home in Tarzana. Upon searching the residence, officers allegedly discovered evidence linking Haskell Jr. to the crime, including blood evidence.
Haskell Jr. was subsequently booked on one count of suspicion of murder. Authorities were able to track him down and make the arrest at the Topanga Mall. The arrest comes amidst the mysterious disappearance of Haskell Jr.'s wife and in-laws.
Haskell Jr. is the son of Sam Haskell Sr., founder and president of Magnolia Hill Productions.
Haskell Sr., the founder and president of Magnolia Hill Productions, has been responsible for producing various Dolly Parton specials as well as two revived specials featuring The Waltons.
Before this, Haskell Sr. had a successful career at William Morris, where he rose to become the Worldwide Head of Television before retiring. However, his reputation took a hit when he resigned as CEO of the Miss America organization following a 2017 email scandal.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Haskell Jr.'s wife his wife, Mei Haskell, and her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li, are still missing.
Haskell Jr. and his missing wife, Mei Haskell, have three young children who are currently in the care of their extended family. The police are closely monitoring the well-being of the children.
The producer's son is currently being held on a $2 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court on November 13.
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
Powered by RedCircle
Police are also searching for her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li, who lived with the couple and their three boys, and have been reported missing.
In their search for the missing in-laws, police are said to be interested in finding a pair of missing vehicles: a white Volkswagen Tiguan and a white Nissan Pathfinder.
Police have released no motive.
ABC 7 News and Deadline provided quotes and sources related to the arrest.
