A 35-year-old man, Samuel Haskell, has been arrested in connection with the discovery of a dismembered torso near a dumpster in Encino. Authorities believe the victim could be Haskell’s missing wife. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the LAPD. ABC7 Los Angeles reported
35-Year-Old Man Arrested After Dismembered Torso Found in Encino
ENCINO, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A gruesome discovery was made in Encino when a dismembered torso of a woman was found in a plastic bag near a dumpster. The authorities have arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with the case. While the woman’s identity has not been confirmed, investigators suspect that it may be the man’s missing wife.
The suspect, Samuel Haskell of Tarzana, was apprehended on Wednesday and is currently held in Van Nuys Jail with a bail set at $2 million.
According to the police, Mei Haskell, the wife of Samuel, along with her parents, Yanxiang Wang and Gaoshen Li, are also missing. All of them resided together with the suspect in a residence located on Coldstream Terrace in Tarzana.
During an evening news conference on Wednesday, Detective Efren Gutierrez from the Los Angeles Police Department expressed concern about the missing family. He stated, “The reason we’re concerned with their whereabouts is they would normally be home during these hours. Attempts have been made to contact them by cell phone, but there have been no answers. Mei, in particular, is unaccounted for, and we have not been able to reach her.”
Samuel and Mei Haskell have three young sons together, who have now been placed under the care of the county’s Department of Children and Family Services.
The investigation into Samuel Haskell began after a homeless man discovered the dismembered torso while scavenging for recyclables at a strip mall located near Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue. The authorities reviewed surveillance footage from the area, which led them to identify Haskell as a suspect.
Tarzana man arrested after womanA Tarzana man has been arrested in connection with a woman’s dismembered torso that was found near a dumpster in Encino.
Haskell was located and taken into custody at the Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park around 11:30 a.m. on the same day.
Detective Gutierrez revealed that upon entering the Tarzana residence, evidence of a crime was discovered, including traces of blood. However, he did not provide further details at that time.
Interestingly, the night before the dismembered torso was found, someone reported seeing a body in a black bag near the Haskell’s Tarzana home. However, when officers responded to the report, they were unable to confirm its validity.
The shocking incident has left residents in the area deeply disturbed. One resident expressed their surprise, saying, “I think it was kind of weird to drive up and be blocked off along the boulevard and into the little center over here and to find out that there were body parts there … in Encino! We’ve had a lot of crime in Encino over the last couple of months.”
The exact duration for which the torso had been near the dumpster or the time of the victim’s death remains unclear. Investigators believe it could be a matter of a few days. To establish a formal identification, they will rely on DNA evidence.
Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.
City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.
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