The suspect linked to the discovery of a woman’s torso in a San Fernando Valley trash can has been charged with murder, Los Angeles police announced Thursday.
Samuel Haskell, 35, a resident of Los Angeles, is being held on $2,000,000 bail.
Video evidence from the scene of the disturbing discovery in Encino led law enforcement to Tarzana on Wednesday. The investigation then led to the arrest of Haskell, who was jailed on suspicion of murder. Haskell was arrested at a Topanga shopping center.
The gruesome discovery was made by an individual around 6 a.m. who was rummaging through trash in the area of Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue and found a bag containing a woman’s torso.
As a result of the investigation, authorities are also searching for three people connected to Haskell who are missing. Law enforcement was unable to contact the suspect’s wife and parents. The missing persons have been identified as follows:
- Mei Haskell;
- Gaoshan Li, 72 years old. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 140 pounds.
- YanXiang Wang, 64 years old. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs approximately 135 pounds.
Police said the three elementary-age children who live in the Clearstream home are safe and in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at (213) 486-6890.
Police are searching for Tarzana’s missing mother and her parents after the woman’s husband was arrested in connection with the discovery of human remains in Encino. Alex Rozier reports for NBC4 News on November 9, 2023.