Dumped Body Parts, A Missing Couple, Abandoned Kids: Horror, Mystery Inside Tarzana Home

Yanqing Wang had a bad feeling. He had not heard from his sister in days, and his calls were going unanswered. Then, he went to her WeChat social media profile and discovered that all her friends and photos, dating back 10 years, had been deleted. Where was she? What was going on? Wang got the grim news a day later, on Nov. 8. His sister, Yanxiang Wang, 64, and her husband, Gaoshan Li, 72, were missing. The torso of their daughter, Mei Haskell, 37, had been found in a dumpster, according to authorities. And the daughter’s husband, Samuel Bond Haskell IV, 35, was arrested on suspicion of murder. The gruesome case has made international headlines. But for Wang, 59, and other family members, coming to terms with what happened — and why — has been impossible. Wang said he saw no hints of problems at the Tarzana home the two couples shared. Haskell’s three children, who were at school when police got involved in the case, were found safe and are now in foster care, according to Wang. Law enforcement sources not authorized to publicly discuss the case told The Times that they believe Haskell killed his wife and in-laws and dismembered their bodies. They say he dumped Mei’s torso in an Encino trash bin and his in-laws’ bodies somewhere else. Two vehicles that had been missing from the Haskells’ Tarzana property — a white Volkswagen Tiguan and a white 2014 Nissan Pathfinder — were found in the San Fernando Valley.

Los Angeles Times

Teen Sentenced To 5 Years In Youth Facility For Killing Of Fashion District Store Owner

One of two teens accused of fatally stabbing a Fashion District store owner during a robbery last year has been sentenced to five years in a juvenile facility, officials said Tuesday. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the killing last October, admitted to voluntary manslaughter and received the maximum sentence for that charge for a juvenile, five years in a secure youth treatment facility, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. The case involving the other defendant, also 17 at the time, is still going through the legal system, with the next court date set in two weeks. The names of the two juveniles have not been disclosed publicly. The store owner, Du Young Lee, 56, was fatally stabbed near the wig store he ran for almost two decades. Witnesses say two teens tried to steal a wig from the store but the owner chased and confronted them, leading to the stabbing. Friends and family members say over the years the store owner was involved in multiple incidents involving confronting shoplifters, sometimes ending up injured but continuing to stand his ground. Other store owners described him as heroic, seeing his efforts as symbolically standing up for them as well.

ABC 7

Father Of 4 Shot And Killed While Sitting In Car In South LA Was Out Buying Christmas Presents

he man shot to death while he sat in his car at a South Los Angeles gas station was identified Monday as a father of four. On Tuesday, family and friends gathered near the scene of the shooting to mourn the dad, who was out buying Christmas presents. The shooting was reported at 11:08 p.m. Sunday in the 8500 block of South Hoover Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Marquette Deon Scott Jr., 32, died at the scene, according to the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. "My son was loved. He will be missed. He was innocent," said Scott's mom Melanie Gammage. "Y'all took my baby from me. You took my baby from me and I want justice and I'm gonna get it, if it's the last thing I do." Trenise Anderson, the mother of Scott's daughter, was there with the child Tuesday night. She said is murder, "It's not right. It's not right, it's not fair." According to the LAPD, video showed two suspects approaching Scott's car in their own vehicle, jumping out, shooting him, getting back in their car, and driving off. "I want you guys to turn yourselves in, please," said Gammage "I just want justice because my son was innocent.

FOX 11

West Hills Teen Still In Hospital 5 Weeks After He Was Shot Protecting Friends; No Arrests Made

A West Hills teen is still in the hospital more than five weeks after he was shot during an attempted robbery in Winnetka, and police are still searching for the shooter. Jesse Trafton was with a group of his friends in Winnetka on Oct. 29, when a group of four or five people in ski masks came up to them. The 16-year-old said the group tried to rob them, and when he pushed back, they shot him. "My heart races when I think about the situation," Trafton said. His father, Eric Trafton said his son "ultimately, he went to defend his friend. I mean I told him from the start of this, he's a superhero." Jesse said the whole situation was chaotic, saying that he pushed the would be thief became "I didn't want my friend to get hurt." That's when the thief pulled out a gun. Jesse said he pushed them again, and that's when he was shot. "I was instantly afraid that my life was over and I would not be able to walk," Jesse said. "My legs are starting to feel a little better. I'm still in my wheelchair and months away from any sort of recovery and I'm real helpless." Through weeks of surgeries, treatments, CT scans and therapy, Jesse says he can still remember that night "like it was yesterday. It's still fresh in my mind. It's hard to sleep sometimes."

FOX 11

One Hospitalized After Shooting In Hollywood Hills

One person was hospitalized Tuesday following a shooting in the Hollywood Hills. Police responded to the 2200 block of Chelan Place just before 11 a.m. One person was struck by gunfire and hospitalized with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Los Angeles police said. The shooting might have stemmed from a dispute between neighbors, police said. No arrests were reported early Tuesday afternoon.

NBC 4

Suspicious Package Delivered To LA County Immigration Office

A suspicious package closed off the area around a federal immigration office in Los Angeles County. It happened in the 19800 block of Prairie Street at about 10:50 a.m. and continued well into the afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The offices were locked down as federal and local authorities investigated the suspicious delivery which contained a keyboard. It caused concern because of how it was packaged. As the meticulous investigation continued, law enforcement evacuated some buildings in the area. After several hours, the bomb squad members cleared the package and lifted the lockdown. 

CBS 2

Santa Monica Police Arrest Homeless Man For Attempted Homicide

The Santa Monica Police Department has arrested a homeless man accused of attempting to strangle another homeless individual early on Dec. 1. Officers arrived at Palisades Park around 8:55 a.m. following an assault report. When they arrived, police say they encountered 31-year-old Tamarquis Isiah Burke, who was allegedly in the act of strangling another homeless male. Witnesses at the scene indicated the assault appeared to be unprovoked. Burke was arrested and booked on attempted homicide charges and is being held at the Santa Monica Jail on $2,025,000 bail. Investigators are now seeking additional information and urge anyone with information about Burke or the assault to contact Detective McCoy at [email protected], Detective Sergeant Goodwin at [email protected], or the Watch Commander at 310-458-8427, operational 24 hours.

Westside Current

Hit-and-Run Driver Sought After Leaving Pedestrian To Die In Carson

Authorities are searching for a hit-and-run driver who fled the scene after fatally striking a pedestrian in Carson Tuesday night. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received calls of a man down in the street at the intersection of East 213th Street and Selwyn Avenue around 11:40 p.m. Arriving deputies found a non-responsive man suffering from head trauma. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene. The unidentified victim, whose body was covered by a green sheriff’s department canopy, was described only as a man. Investigators at the scene confirmed he was the victim of a hit-and-run crash and authorities are searching for the driver. No description of the suspect or the vehicle involved in the crash has been released. Detectives are searching for any witnesses or surveillance video that may help with the investigation.

KTLA 5

Thousands Of Southern Californians Targeted In ATM Skimming Theft

Federal authorities arrested nearly 50 people in connection with an ATM scam targeting thousands of victims in Southern California. On Nov. 23, Romanian law enforcement collaborated with the FBI’s L.A. office focusing on 84 locations throughout Romania. The locations were tied to an organized crime group known for ATM skimming and money laundering, authorities said. During the massive bust, 48 people were arrested and around $1 million in cash and cryptocurrency, along with 11 vehicles, were seized. Over 8,000 stolen credit card numbers belonging to U.S. citizens were recovered during the operation. Many of the arrested suspects worked directly or were associated with Florian Tudor, the alleged leader of the “notorious and violent ATM skimming organization known as the Riviera Maya Gang based out of Cancun, Mexico,” said the FBI. The suspects would steal funds through ATM skimming devices and send the money through Western Europe before it arrived in Romania.

KTLA 5

Human Trafficking, Child Exploitation Operation In California Leads To 19 Arrests

Undercover agents and detectives posing as minors offering sex for pay on websites frequented by “child predators” arrested more than a dozen suspects during a three-day operation, California law enforcement authorities announced Tuesday. Dubbed “White Elephant,” the operation ran from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 and targeted adults seeking to sexually exploit children and victims of sex trafficking in Kings County, according to a news release from California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. During the human trafficking sting, which included state, federal and local law enforcement agencies, officials said investigators spoke to numerous individuals over the internet and on mobile applications known to foster this kind of illegal activity. Along with the 19 arrests, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office said deputies also rescued two females from a human trafficking operation. “In California, we do not tolerate the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of children,” said Bonta. The attorney general added that the Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team within the Department of Justice was established to “combat this form of modern-day slavery.”

KTLA 5

LA Council Approves Ordinance Limiting Rent Increases To 4% On Stabilized Units

The City Council Tuesday adopted an ordinance that would limit rent increases on rent-stabilized units to 4%, or up to 6% if landlords cover gas and electric costs. Council members voted 10-2 in a second consideration of the ordinance. Mayor Karen Bass will need to sign and approve the ordinance before it can be enacted. Council members John Lee and Traci Park voted against it, while Council President Paul Krekorian and Councilman Curren Price recused themselves because they are landlords. Councilwoman Nithya Raman was absent during the vote. Ordinances need to be voted on twice before they can be adopted by the council. Last week when the council voted on the ordinance for the first time, there was an urgency clause that required 12 votes for the ordinance to be passed with the clause. Though the ordinance was approved, the urgency clause did not as council members voted 11-2 with Lee and Park voting against the item. Krekorian and Price recused themselves.

ABC 7

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.