The son of an award-winning television producer was arrested and charged with murder after a woman’s decapitated torso was found near a dumpster on Wednesday, Los Angeles police said in a news release.
Samuel Haskell IV, 35, was arrested at a Topanga shopping center on suspicion of murder and held on $2 million bail.
According to the news release, a man called police after discovering human remains while rummaging through a dumpster near an Encino shopping center around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The investigation led officers to Haskell’s home, which he shares with his wife, Mei Li Haskell, 37, and his in-laws, Yanxiang Wang, 64, and Gaoshan Li, 71, police said.
All three family members are currently missing and the police are searching for them.
Samuel and Mei Li Haskell have three children, who were placed in school and are now in the care of other family members.
Police said authorities are in the process of identifying the dead woman.
Detectives are also searching for two missing vehicles in connection with the case: a white Volkswagon Tiguan, license plate 9ANC890, and a white 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, license plate 7FRM190.
Los Angeles police did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for an update on the case.
LAPD Detective Efrén Gutiérrez told News21USA that the unidentified woman’s remains were wrapped in a plastic bag outside the dumpster. Investigators reviewed evidence, including surveillance footage, that led to Haskell’s home in Tarzana. There they allegedly discovered more evidence of a crime, including blood.
Police said that the night before the woman’s remains were discovered, someone had reported seeing a body in a black bag near Haskell’s home, but responding officers were unable to substantiate the report, according to News21USA.
According to court records cited by the Los Angeles Times, Haskell is the son of Sam Haskell III, an Emmy-winning producer and president of Magnolia Hill Productions, who has worked on several Dolly Parton specials.
Magnolia Hill Productions did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
