LOS ANGELES, CA – A woman’s torso, discovered in a trash bin by a homeless man, has led to the arrest of a suspect in Los Angeles. The gruesome find was made early Wednesday morning in a dumpster near a strip mall at the intersection of Ventura Blvd. and Rubio Ave. in the Encino neighborhood.
Investigators were led to a Tarzana residence following video evidence from the scene. At this location, the Los Angeles Police Department revealed that “blood evidence and other items” were found. Detective Efren Gutierrez, who was part of the investigation, did not provide further details about the discovered evidence.
The evidence trail led to the apprehension of 35-year-old Samuel Haskell around 11:30 a.m. at the Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park. Haskell, suspected of murder, is currently held on a $2 million bail.
In a twist to the case, three individuals close to Haskell have been reported missing. These include Haskell’s wife, Mei Haskell, and her parents, Gaoshan Li, 72, and YanXiang Wang, 64. The police are yet to provide additional information about their disappearance.
The couple’s three young children are reportedly safe and have been taken into custody by Children and Family Services. The identity of the woman whose torso was discovered remains unknown. Authorities are uncertain about the time of the murder but believe that the body part was likely discarded within the past few days.
The police have urged anyone with information about the case to come forward. Further details about the case remain undisclosed.