Man pleads not guilty in triple slaying

A Hollywood executive’s son accused of killing his wife and her parents pleaded not guilty Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Samuel Bond Haskell IV, 35, was arrested in November on suspicion of killing his wife, Mei Haskell, 37; her mother, Yanxiang Wang, 64; and stepfather, Gaoshan Li, 72.

Authorities say Haskell first tried to dispose of human remains on Nov. 7, when he hired day laborers to remove bags from his property. The workers, who said they were paid $500 and initially told that they were hauling away rocks, said the bags felt soggy and soft, like meat. The laborers tried to return the money and contacted police, but by the time officers arrived, the bags were gone, according to a KNBC-TV Channel 4 report.

The next day, a homeless man found a duffel bag containing a human torso in a Tarzana dumpster. Haskell was arrested a short time later. Surveillance video from a nearby building captured a man who seemed to be Haskell dumping the bag after unloading it from his vehicle.

The Los Angeles County coroner determined the torso belonged to Mei Haskell, but Los Angeles police detectives have yet to locate the remains of her parents. Police have not confirmed a motive or the manner of death in the killings, but L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman said detectives discovered blood and evidence consistent with dismemberment inside the family home.

If convicted of the slayings, Haskell faces a potential sentence of life without parole. His next court appearance is set for Feb. 16.

Haskell shared a home with his wife and in-laws in the 4100 block of Coldstream Terrace in Tarzana. His wife’s relatives, many of whom still live in China, previously told The Times that while they didn’t know of any fights or discussions of divorce between the couple, financial issues were a strain on their relationship.

Mei was the only person contributing to the couple’s $7,000 monthly mortgage, according to her uncle, who described Haskell as “strange” and “quiet and reserved.”

Authorities recovered cars used by the family in the San Fernando Valley and have said that in the days between the killings and his arrest, Haskell had driven all over Los Angeles County. Haskell’s children are now in the care of relatives, according to authorities.

The defendant’s father, Sam Haskell, has won an Emmy award as a producer and was a high-level executive at the powerful William Morris talent agency before launching his own production company.