Top Hollywood Producer's Son Arrested After Wife and In-Laws Go Missing, Woman's Torso Found in Dumpster: Police
Patrick Ahern was told to not smoke weed by his mother, so he allegedly called 911 and made bomb threat instead, police said.
Nov. 10 2023, Updated 11:20 a.m. ET
A California suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman’s dismembered body was found in a dumpster, according to authorities.
Around 6:15 a.m. on Nov. 8, a man was digging in a recycling bin in Encino when he found a duffel bag containing a trash bag inside, according to KTLA-TV. The man opened the bag and discovered a female torso. Officials said no other remains were found at the site.
Investigators recovered surveillance footage from the parking lot where the torso was found and noted a car linked to the suspect, Samuel Haskell Jr.
Police went to Haskell’s home in Tarzana and allegedly located “evidence of a crime, including some blood evidence and other items that I’m not going to provide at this point,” Los Angeles Police Det. Efren Gutierrez told KABC-TV.
Haskell and his wife, Mei Haskell, and her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li, all lived at the Tarzana address. Police said Haskell’s wife and his in-laws are missing, KABC-TV reported.
Gutierrez told KABC that investigators were “concerned” about Mei and her parents because they didn’t answer their phones and were not located.
Mei Haskell, and her parents Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li all lived at the home in Tarzana with Samuel Haskell, police said.
The victim whose torso was found in the dumpster has not been positively identified yet, according to authorities.
Haskell was arrested and booked into the Van Nuys Jail, officials said. He was being held on a $2 million bond and is due in court on Nov. 13.
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Haskell is the son of Sam Haskell Sr., the founder and president of Magnolia Hill Productions, according to Deadline. The company has produced everything from Dolly Parton specials to revived specials featuring The Waltons.
Haskell Sr. resigned as CEO of the Miss America organization in 2017 amid an email scandal.
Haskell Jr. and his missing wife are the parents of three elementary-aged children, who are now in the care of family, police said.
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