Mei Li Haskell autopsy reveals grisly new details
By Carl Samson
Mei Li Haskell, the slain wife of Samuel Haskell IV, may still have been alive when her own husband allegedly decapitated her, according to reports citing her autopsy result.
Key points:
- Samuel Haskell IV, 35, is accused of killing his wife and her parents at their shared home in Tarzana, Los Angeles County.
- A dismembered torso found on Nov. 8 was later confirmed as belonging to Mei Li. In her autopsy report, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner concluded that she died from “homicidal violence.”
- Haskell, who is being held without bail, pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Jan. 12.
The details:
- Mei Li, 37, whose remains were missing a head, arms and legs, may still have been alive when she was decapitated, her autopsy report noted. A “sharp force injury” at the neck and smooth bone margins at amputation sites reportedly suggest the use of a “sharp powered tool.”
- The coroner determined that Mei Li most likely died from sharp force trauma, blunt force, gunshot or asphyxia. While no drugs were found in her system, poisoning via an unknown substance has not been ruled out.
- “Given the circumstance of the case, which includes the deliberate concealment of the body by dismemberment and disposal, the cause of death is homicidal violence,” the report concluded.
- Haskell, the son of Hollywood executive Sam Haskell III, was arrested for his wife and her parents’ murders on Nov. 8, 2023. A dismembered torso found earlier in the day at a dumpster in Encino was later confirmed to be Mei Li’s remains.
- The day prior, Haskell allegedly hired workers to dispose of black trash bags that contained the remains. The workers reported their discovery and returned the bags to Haskell, but they were gone by the time police arrived.
- On Jan. 12, Haskell pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder with special circumstances of committing multiple murders. Mei Li’s parents, Yanxiang Wang, 64, and Gaoshan Li, 72, are still missing.
What’s next:
- Haskell last appeared in court on Feb. 16. If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
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