IT'S WAR: War, Hollywood Brat Dismembers Wife And In-laws, New Money Fight

Summary

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: IT'S WAR: War, Hollywood Brat Dismembers Wife And In-laws, New Money Fight
Date: January 4, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
Host: Nancy Grace

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the shocking case of Sam Haskell IV, son of a famous Hollywood agent, who stands accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Mailee Haskell, and her parents. As details of the grisly crime unfold, the episode explores the failings of the initial police response, the profile and background of the suspect, the family dynamics at play, and the post-murder scramble for financial control over the Haskell estate. Notably, the discussion uncovers societal critiques of wealth and privilege, the trauma inflicted on the surviving children, and psychological analyses of the killer's motives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Crime Discovery & Police Response

• Timeline of Events:

  • A woman’s torso is found in a dumpster in Tarzana, LA. (01:39)
  • Construction workers hired by Sam Haskell to dispose of “bags of rocks” realize the bags contain human remains, notably a torso with a belly button. (23:20)
  • Workers attempt to report to police but are sent in circles between departments and are told to call 911 outside the station. (03:47, 02:50)
  • Delay in action means crucial evidence may have been lost.

• Critique of Police Handling:

  • Nancy Grace and guests harshly criticize the police for dismissing citizen reports and potentially losing evidence:
    • Nancy Grace: “I would totally clean house over who chose not to take a report on a bag of body parts.” (05:23)
    • Chris McDonough: “This is right out of a Hollywood horror movie.” (05:23)

• Discovery of Remains:

  • A homeless man later reports finding a torso in a dumpster, early stages of decomposition. (06:01)
  • Police then finally link the crime scene to Sam Haskell IV’s residence. (10:41)

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2. Suspect Background: Hollywood Ties & Lifestyle

• Sam Haskell IV: Son of Sam Haskell III (renowned talent agent, ex-Miss America CEO, represented Dolly Parton, George Clooney, and more) (12:05).

• Lived in a $3 million home in a wealthy LA suburb, Tarzana. (14:30)

• Sam, described as a “spoiled brat,” spent his days making TikTok videos and did not achieve professional success like his father. (00:15, 13:28)

• Notable Quote – On Sam’s Social Media:

  • “Like my resume says, unhappy, bitter, resentful. Now I'm consistently never going to stop drinking.”
    — Sam Haskell IV on TikTok (13:48, 14:11)

• Neighbors’ Perspective:

  • Elle Benami, neighbor and friend, describes Sam as reclusive, rarely interacting, while Mailee was outgoing and community-involved. (16:37-17:40)

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3. Family Dynamics & Victimology

• Mailee Haskell: Entrepreneur, involved parent, cared deeply for her three sons. Parents (ages 72 and 64) lived with her, helping raise the children. (17:40, 18:53)

• Relationship Observation:

  • Elle (neighbor): “They weren’t close. Never seen them affectionate... She would go on vacation with her children and her parents, he typically went on solo trips.” (19:17)

• Parent Assistance:

  • Elle: “Her parents were extremely helpful, always actively chasing after kids, cooking, and never did Sam help with parties or anything.” (21:19)

• Trauma to Surviving Children:

  • Nancy Grace: “Mae Lee's sons she raised under these horrendous conditions... they will forever have to live with the knowledge their mother was murdered, possibly when they were in the home.” (35:40)

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4. Crime Scene & Methods

• Weaponry:

  • Sam reportedly kept an array of martial arts weapons in the home (samurai swords, crossbows, firearms), which made neighbors uneasy. (33:14)
  • Children would mention the weapons to Elle’s children, making other parents uncomfortable with unsupervised visits. (34:13)

• Murder & Dismemberment:

  • Forensic guest Dr. Gary Brucato distinguishes between “dismemberment” (removing large body parts for practical, usually evidence-destroying motives) and “mutilation” (damage for psychological reasons):
    • “Dismemberment … is pretty organized, done by a person trying to clean up after they've eliminated people.” (28:18)
    • On method: If a knife was used instead of a gun, the killer is more likely to be "odd" or disturbed, not legally insane. (30:41-31:09)

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5. Possible Motives & Financial Fallout

• New Legal Battle:

  • Alex Dorian, purportedly Mailee’s business partner, is suing the Haskell estate for nearly $500,000, alleging a verbal agreement regarding a real estate investment. (11:38, 35:40)
  • The estate is now represented by Jody Montgomery, famous for her previous role as Britney Spears’ conservator. (34:55)

• Nancy Grace's Critique:

  • “Shouldn't this money go to their orphans? Okay, their orphans have enough to deal with. Mae Lee's sons ... they will forever have to live with the knowledge their mother was murdered…” (35:40)

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6. Psychological Analysis of the Suspect

• Criminal Profile:
  • Dr. Trace Sargent: Sam Haskell IV seems to present himself as a victim, "may not take accountability or responsibility for his actions." (27:23)
  • Dr. Brucato: The crime fits common psychological profiles for domestic elimination or rage-driven murder, possibly spurred by interpersonal detachment and lack of empathy. (28:18-32:52)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Nancy Grace on police inaction:
  “I would totally clean house over who chose not to take a report on a bag of body parts.” (05:23)

• Construction workers’ horror:
  “When they picked up the bags, they felt like there was meat inside… they saw a belly button.” (23:20)

• Nancy on privilege and discontent:
  “He is whining that he's unhappy, bitter and resentful. He's never going to stop drinking. Thanks for sharing and complaining that the waiter… burned his filet mignon.” (14:30)

• Elle Benami on Mailee:
  “She was just a very, very sweet person. Very generous, very sweet, very caring... very dedicated to her three boys.” (17:52)

• Dr. Gary Brucato on motivations:
  “With dismemberment, we found… it's a pretty organized thing, done by a person that’s trying to clean up after they've eliminated people.” (28:18)

• Elle Benami on the weapons in the home:
  “They did mention [to my kids] about a samurai sword or where a specific firearm was kept. That made me very nervous…” (34:13)

• Dr. Brucato on knife-vs-gun offenders:
  “If a gun is used, there’s a very low likelihood … mentally ill. If something else was used, like a knife, then we start thinking that this was an individual who was unwell in some way.” (30:41)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |---------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------| | 00:13 | Opening and case introduction | 00:13 | | 01:39 | Discovery of torso and initial police report | 01:39 | | 02:50 | Workers report to police, are dismissed | 02:50 | | 05:23 | Critique of police inaction | 05:23 | | 10:41 | Linking torso to Haskell residence | 10:41 | | 13:48 | Sam Haskell’s TikTok audio | 13:48, 14:11 | | 16:37 | Neighbor Elle Benami’s account of the family | 16:37 | | 17:52 | Profile of Mailee Haskell | 17:52 | | 19:17 | Mailee & Sam's relationship | 19:17 | | 21:19 | Role of Mailee's parents | 21:19 | | 23:20 | Construction workers' account of body disposal | 23:20 | | 27:23 | Criminal psychological analysis | 27:23 | | 30:41 | Knife vs. gun as methods of murder | 30:41 | | 33:14 | Weapons kept in Haskell home | 33:14 | | 34:55 | Financial dispute with Alex Dorian | 34:55 | | 35:40 | Nancy Grace’s reflection on children/orphans | 35:40 |

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Concluding Remarks

Nancy Grace’s hard-hitting style drives this brutal examination of a case at the intersection of privilege, wealth, and horror. Through her panel of experts and firsthand neighbor testimony, the episode not only dissects the crime itself but raises deep questions about failures in law enforcement, the psychological underpinnings of family annihilators, and the consequences for the surviving children. The show ends with unresolved questions about the estate and the financial vultures circling the tragedy, leaving listeners with a sense of outrage and sorrow for the victims’ children.

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For listeners seeking a gripping true crime episode with sharp legal and psychological analysis, firsthand witness accounts, and a scathing critique of both societal privilege and systemic failures, this entry in Crime Stories with Nancy Grace is both harrowing and insightful.

Transcript

[Nancy Grace]

This is an Iheart podcast, guaranteed human crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

[Co-host/Producer]

War.

[Nancy Grace]

That's right, it's war.

[Co-host/Producer]

All because a Hollywood agent's Nepo son dismembered his wife and in laws Nepal. Now, various entities coming out of the woodwork claiming, hey, I want money. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. I'm sure the name Sam Haskell rings a bell. Haskell was the son of a powerful and wealthy Hollywood agent who represented the likes of Dolly Parton and more. The son, spoiled brat, murdered and dismembered his wife and his in laws. That would be Sam Haskell. Mailee Haskell, the wife had her own business going. Now a man claiming to be her business partner has emerged, claiming he wants hundreds of thousands of dollars from the couple's estate date. Okay, first of all, let's talk about Mailee Haskell and her very loving mother and father who moved to the US to help her take care of her children with Sam Haskell, who did Nothing but make TikTok videos all day long.

[Nancy Grace]

What is wrong with rich people?

[Co-host/Producer]

Okay, this is what happened.

[Nancy Grace]

Someone discovers a female torso in a dumpster. It doesn't take California police very long to track the torso to one person. The son of a famous Hollywood agent. The son, Sam Haskell. Not only is his wife missing, but so are his in laws. Take a listen to this.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Police say they got a call from one of Sam Haskell's neighbors who reported seeing suspicious bags outside the Tarzana home.

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

And?

[Narrator/Reporter]

And the bags appear to have body parts in them. LAPD Detective Ephraim Gutierrez.

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

The radio call November 7th at about.

[Chris McDonough]

5:30Pm involved a suspicious bag that possibly contained a human remains. When the officers responded, nothing was located.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Even though nothing was located, an investigation was launched.

[Nancy Grace]

This is what we know. The original call to police we first thought was from neighbors, but now it appears to be from some construction workers in the area. What a twisted story. Listen.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The men try to report what they've seen to the police, but are turned away twice. The men went to the highway patrol station first, but were told they had to go to the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD Topanga station tells the men to go back outside and call 911 from the courtyard.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, I've got an all star panel to make sense of what we know right now. About three missing people and a woman's torso that has been found in a dumpster there in la. But first, to Alexis Toreschuk joining me from this jurisdiction, crimeonline.com. investigative reporter Alexis, thank you for being with us. So, I mean, bottom line, Alexis, police and not one, but two locations send these citizens trying to report what they think is a bag of body parts on a wild goose chase, a scavenger hunt, so to speak.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

They do.

[Elle Benami]

They went.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

They had these trash bags. They thought, oh, my gosh, this is not something normal. This is probably body parts.

[Elle Benami]

We.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

We think this is what it is. They go to a police station. The police say, well, where did you get these bags from? Oh, you got it from this house over there. You need to go to that jurisdiction. Didn't look at the bags. Nothing at all. Probably didn't even believe them. So they send it to the next place, and they're like, yeah, you gotta call 91 1.

[Nancy Grace]

You know, this is right out of a movie. Let me go to Chris McDonough. Joining me, Director of the Cold Case foundation, former homicide detective, host of a YouTube channel, the interview room where I found him. Chris McDonough, have you ever seen Home Alone?

[Chris McDonough]

Yes.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, I know you know where I'm going. Where the mom calls. I believe this must have been Home Alone 2, where she calls from Paris and she gets sent to one person, and then they knock on the wall and they send the phone to the next person and back and forth and back and forth. She never gets the right police officer and finally starts calling neighbors. I know that is a funny, a comical example of what we're talking about, but really, these people are trying to report a bag of human body parts, and they get sent on a wild goose chase. I tell you what, if I were the police chief, which of course I'm not, I would totally clean house over. Who chose not to take a report on a bag of body parts? Chris McDonough.

[Chris McDonough]

And I can bet you, Nancy, you're 100% right. This is right out of a Hollywood horror movie. And that police chief, Moore, Michael Moore, who's LAPD chief now, he's going to be questioning a lot of folks.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, I hope he does more than question them. I mean, you get a call about body parts, you better go like grease lightning to investigate. And that delay cost the case a lot of time and possibly a lot of evidence. Let's move forward.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Listen, LAPD Detective Ephraim Gutierrez says early the next morning, police received another call about human remains.

[Chris McDonough]

The caller was a homeless man that.

[Nancy Grace]

Was digging through the dumpster to look for recyclables and discovered what he believed.

[Chris McDonough]

To be a human remains.

[Narrator/Reporter]

All that was recovered was the torso, but there were Clues in the bag.

[Chris McDonough]

Just from visual inspection, the stages of.

[Nancy Grace]

Decomposition were relatively early, so no more than a day or two. Okay, I'm glad that an untrained cop can look in and tell me the level of decomposition, but actually he may be right. You know, let me go to Troyce Layton, high profile criminal defense attorney joining us out of this jurisdiction, la. You know, if there were anywhere else, I would just assume they were the same body parts. But in la, they could be entirely a different set of body parts. But logically speaking, Troyce Leighton, do you think they could then add two plus two equals? These are the same set of body parts as we got reported yesterday?

[Chris McDonough]

Well, the coroner and medical examiner, which are the same here in Los Angeles, they're going to start having to piece these things back together. So the body parts that were recovered by these construction workers and whatever was found by this homeless person, it's not going to take very long for them to decide if that's the safe same body part. And the Robbery homicide division of LAPD, which is the most elite squad in the LAPD, is going to be investigating and try and put two and two together.

[Nancy Grace]

Dr. Michelle Dupree joining me, forensic pathologist, medical examiner, former detective, author of Money, Mischief and Murder, the Murdog Saga, the rest of the story on Amazon. And she literally wrote the book the Homicide investigation field guide. Dr. Dupree, we're all talking about bags of body parts, but to this victim or victim's family, the discussion of body parts, that is their loved one, that is their daughter, their sister, their mom, their dad, their grandpa, that we're talking about body parts. Body parts.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

You're absolutely right, Nancy. These are somebody's family. They are. You know, I'm obviously very upset about this and it's a tragic thing to find.

[Nancy Grace]

No, it's not just the shock. Ultimately, learning that you have lost someone you love, possibly that you love more than anything else in the world, but then finding out that they are a crime victim, a murder victim, and then to find out that they have been dismembered, that their dead body has been defiled in such a horrible, horrible way. To Dr. Gary Procato, clinical psychologist, author of the New Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime. Now that is a read, Dr. Brucato. That's a lot for one person to take in. I mean, I remember when my fiance was murdered. At first I just assumed that there had been a car crash. And then I found out he was murdered and frankly, I don't remember a whole lot after that. But to then learn that someone dismembered the person you love more than anything else in the world, I don't know. How do you make a comeback after that?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Extremely difficult. Because a person would have to make some kind of meaning out of what it is that happened in their life, some kind of existential or spiritual meaning. And to try to go out in the world and battle that kind of darkness so that other people don't have to experience it. And people that I've worked with who have been victims of violent crime, it seems to be the only way that they're able to make any sense of purpose out of it.

[Nancy Grace]

What is happening? One set of remains found or spotted outside of home. Police finally get there after sending the civilian informant on a wild goose chase. When they get there, no more remains. It's gone. They don't execute a search warrant. They do nothing, claiming they don't have enough evidence to to execute a search warrant in the home. The next day it's reported that there is a female torso found in a dumpster. Let's pick it up right there. Take a listen to our friends at Crime Online.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The LAPD says that when they processed the scene where the torso in the back were found in a dumpster, the investigation provided detectives with information that led them to the residence of Samuel Haskell.

[Nancy Grace]

Sam Haskell the fourth. Who is that?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Listen.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sam Haskell IV is the son of Sam Haskell iii, an Emmy Award winning producer who was a high profile agent with Hollywood's William Morris Talent agency where he represented a list stars like George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, Dolly Parton and many others. Haskell IV lists himself as a director and posted several clips online of low budget videos he wrote and filmed by former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville appears in one of the clips for a movie which appears to be a high school teen drama.

[Nancy Grace]

Crime stories with nancy grace.

[Co-host/Producer]

Businessman Alex Dorian is suing claiming he is owed nearly half a million dollars after he says he provided money for a short lived partnership with Maylee Haskell, according to a complaint. Well, he can't get anything out of Maylee because she was murdered. This is what happened.

[Nancy Grace]

So Sam Haskell IV is the son of a high powered talent agent who was known as the good guy of Hollywood. The dad Haskell 3 was the CEO I believe of the Miss America pageant for many, many years has I think still working with Dolly Parton in her Magnolia productions. I mean the dad is renowned. In fact I think he was the world wide head of TV work for William Morris. Do I have that right?

[Alexis Toreschuk]

Haskell 3, the father, he.

[Elle Benami]

It was.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

And. But he was the head of the pageants.

[Elle Benami]

He was.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

He separated from the pageant organization about.

[Nancy Grace]

A year ago, right, Over a dispute regarding some emails, but correct. Then that leads me to the son, Haskell 4. Now, from what I understand, this guy Haskell 4 has directed a few things including working with Tyga and Machine Gun Kelly, but he never reached the level of his father's fame, is that right?

[Co-host/Producer]

Correct.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

Not in any way, shape or form. And he mostly put things on social media where he would do videos, you know, on TikTok.

[Nancy Grace]

Wait a minute. I'm so glad you said that. Let's take a listen to Sam Haskell 4 the fourth on social media. His TikTok. This is our cut 14.

[Chris McDonough]

Like my resume says, unhappy, bitter, resentful. Now I'm consistently never gonna stop drinking. Shouts out to the waiter at the restaurant above Nordstrom's for just like completely burning out of my filet. Like, what kind of a monster are you, Homie?

[Nancy Grace]

What? Sydney, can I hear that again?

[Chris McDonough]

Like my resume says, unhappy, bitter, resentful. Now I'm consistently never going to stop drinking. Shouts out to the waiter at the restaurant above Nordstrom's for just like completely burning out of my filet. Like what kind of a monster are you, Homie?

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, this guy, Sam Haskell the fourth is living in a nearly 3 million dollar home in Tarzana, which is a really beautiful area around la. He's got an enclosed backyard, I've seen it myself, with a gorgeous pool, a play area for his children, the works. It's a six bedroom home and he is whining that he's unhappy, bitter and resentful. He's never going to stop drinking. Thanks for sharing and complaining that the waiter at the restaurant on top of Nordstrom's. I guess it's at the Topanga Mall. I'm not sure. Nordstrom's, which is a really expensive department store, burned his filet mignon. Wait, am I okay? Alexis, tell me about this area because I've seen it and it's really beautiful.

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

It is.

[Alexis Toreschuk]

Tarzana is part of Los Angeles County. It's a little bit away from downtown, it's in the Valley, but it's so. It's beautiful. Lush green homes, you know, very spaced out, not right on top of each other at all. You know, tree lined streets, really good schools around there, nice areas for your kids to play nice, you know, restaurants and malls where you could take your kids. Parks the Dumpster. Everything is right near a park. Just a lovely area. That for somebody who doesn't seem to work, you would think probably maybe his parents bought this very expensive home for him. They just moved there in December of 2020. So in the middle of the pandemic, they moved.

[Nancy Grace]

And joining me right now is a special guest. It is Elle Benami. Thank you for being with us. We're all trying to figure out what exactly is happening. You are a friend and neighbor of May and Sam Haskell iv. What can you tell us about them?

[Elle Benami]

So they moved to the neighborhood, like you said, in December 2020, January 2021, during the pandemic. And from the beginning, I did think that they were. It struck me that they were very different. Sam and May. He was. She's extremely outgoing. Right when she moved in here, she came around and she introduced herself, and she wanted to make plans with us and the kids. And he was not. Not like that. He would, you know, say hello if. If I saw him on the street, maybe kind of like, nod his head. He. He would smile. So he was outwardly friendly, but in the, I guess, three years that he lived next to us, I never actually had a conversation with him. But with Mae was very different. I had many, many long conversations with her. Took many long walks, and can't say the same for him.

[Nancy Grace]

Question. You spent time with Mae, and I know that May lived in the home with her parents, ages 72 and 64. What was she like?

[Elle Benami]

Mae was just a very, very sweet person. Very generous, very sweet, very caring. Would kind of get excited about small things kind of a bit in like, a, I guess, childlike way, which was very endearing. She loved to be around people. She threw many parties. She was very dedicated, dedicated to her three boys, and always threw them really amazing birthday parties. Really went all out. She, you know, threw parties for Chinese New Year, and she always loved to make plans, make sure, you know, her boys have a lot of things planned out, and also took them to many extracurricular activities after school, from music to sports to, you know, advanced math and so on.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, that is a mom that cares. I mean, I've been there, and I know the ages of her children. Her three boys. You're constantly in the road, taking one to music or this one to gymnastics or this one to soccer or whatever it is that they latch onto that they like. What was her relationship with Haskell for?

[Elle Benami]

So I will say that she never really discussed her relationship with him with me, but just from observing them, I would say that they. They they weren't close. They didn't have anywhere near a close, you know, a close relationship. I would definitely not call it that. Never seen them be affectionate with each other. They never went on date nights. She never mentioned them going on a date. I never observed them going out any. They didn't go on vacations together. So she would go on vacation with her children and her parents and he typically went on solo trips, I think typically to Japan. According to me. Some of them were work related for filming. They both, for example, like to take walks in the neighborhood. I never saw them take a walk together.

[Nancy Grace]

You know, that's really interesting, Elle. And guys, you're hearing a friend and neighbor of May and Sam Haskell iv, Troy Slayton. I'm just trying to imagine this, Nancy.

[Chris McDonough]

That's something very important. I love to take walks with my spouse here in beautiful Los Angeles, but he lived with his in laws too. And I'm not making any kind of excuse, but people sometimes in that situation feel trapped. They feel that there are no boundaries. And starting to think about what some of the defenses might be psychologically for.

[Nancy Grace]

Him and he live with his in laws. Are you kidding me? I've got my 92 year old mother with us. Okay. And you know who's the very sweetest to her? My husband. He feels trapped. He hasn't said so.

[Chris McDonough]

That's nice. But a lot of people suffer tremendous psychological stress from living with their in laws.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, well, I can't wait to see how that goes over. Was that you, Elle, about to say something?

[Elle Benami]

Yeah, I was going to say that Mae's parents, they were, I mean, of course I don't know what went on inside their home, but from what I could see, they. They seem to be extremely helpful. Anytime I observed them with the children, they always, both of them were actively, you know, chasing after them, helping. Her mom cooked a lot, I think pretty much daily for them and for the kids. When May threw birthday parties, it was not Sam that helped in any way, it was her parents. Even though they didn't speak English, they were constantly, actively helping. And you know, and her mom had suffered a stroke prior to Covid. And so she does, she did use, or she does use a cane to walk. That didn't stop her from being always on her feet and helping.

[Nancy Grace]

You know, I'm just thinking about the dynamic you're telling us, but I want to circle back very quickly to something Alexis Toreschuk was reporting earlier. I want to go back to these day laborers, the construction workers. Take a listen to our cut two.

[Narrator/Reporter]

From Dave Mack, 25 miles west of downtown Los Angeles, in an area once owned by famed author Edgar Rice Burroughs and named for his famous character Tarzan. Tarzana is in the San Fernando Valley and has become a popular place for celebrities and those in the entertainment world to call home. It's also where Sam Haskell paid a group of day laborers $500 to haul away three large trash bags that were in his garage. Speaking to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the workers said Haskell told them the bags were full of rocks. But the workers said when they picked up the bags, they felt like there was meat inside. Realizing what they were carrying wasn't rocks, the workers pulled over about a block from Haskell's house to look inside the bag. Opening the bags, the men knew they'd been tricked and more.

[Nancy Grace]

Listen.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The men described the bags to NBC 4 as soft and soggy and each weighing about 50 pounds. A block away from Haskell's house, the workers opened up the bags and said they started seeing body parts, specifically a belly button. The men said they felt bad they'd been tricked, so they drove back to Haskell's house and left the bags in the driveway and gave Haskell his $500 back. Haskell played it off, telling the workers what they actually saw were Halloween props. Not believing Haskell, the men drove immediately to the police.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, Alexis Toreschuk, crimeonline.com investigative reporter, joining us from LA. What?

[Alexis Toreschuk]

So he hired some men, day laborers. As you go to maybe Home Depot or somewhere like that, and you say, hey, guys, I've got some heavy things in my house. These men are usually big, strong men, and they have trucks. They come to your house. So that's what they did. They took the bags. And he said, oh, they're rocks. Well, rocks are really heavy, and they don't move, but you can't squish them. But these bags were heavy and squishy. And the guys, their description was, it felt like meat. So they were, you know, like a huge hunk of meat. Squishy, but still a little solid. They looked in the bags, they saw what it was. And what they specifically described was they saw a belly button. So, like the torso from, you know, above your waist, below your chest, you're below your neck. And that was horrific. So they took the bags back. The guy gave them their money, they gave the money back, and then they went to the police. They go to the first police station they can find. The police said, well, that's not actually our jurisdiction. Why don't you go to this other police station or call 91 1. These guys come in with, sure, it's a little bit of a wild story, but you should investigate this. This is really. They're not telling you anything that is out of the norm in Los Angeles.

[Nancy Grace]

Everything you're saying, I believe is correct. But what's jumping out at me is changing his story. First the bag is full of rocks. Then he says, oh, those are just Halloween props, even though it looks like human body parts, an actual human body. And then the next thing we know, a bag of human body parts turns up in a dumpster. But let me take it back. Joining me is a neighbor of May and Sam Haskell iv, Mae, the mother of three little boys. By Haskell Elle Question. What, if anything, did you hear the previous night?

[Elle Benami]

So I was not home the previous night, but my daughter, she actually texted it to us that night. She heard what she thought was the youngest boy from their house or perhaps from the yard shout, hello, hello, Help. And then she heard a car door slam and loud screeching, I guess as the car drove off.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, hold on. Could you slow that down and tell me one more time?

[Elle Benami]

Okay, so my daughter texted US at around 9pm on Tuesday, the night before the torso was found, that she heard what she believed to be the high school's youngest boy coming to basically maybe from the house or from the yard, call out, hello, hello. And then help. And then she heard a car door slam really hard and screeching sound, a loud screeching as it drove off.

[Nancy Grace]

Joining Me now is Dr. Trace Sargent, search, rescue and recovery expert, PhD in psychology, focusing on victimology, star of a podcast, the Seekers Quest. Dr. Sargent, thank you for being with us. You look specifically at predatory behavior. What do you make of someone that not only commits murder but then dismembers the body?

[Alexis Toreschuk]

Well, Nancy, we look at several things, but I'd like to go back to Sam Hassell's the fourth comments on social media. That in itself tells us a lot when we're looking at it from a criminal profile perspective, behavioral analysis, psychological analysis. And what is glaring to me is that he perceives himself as the victim. And I would not be surprised when this case and this story moves forward that he presents himself as the victim and maybe even go as far as blaming the circumstances that led to the death of his wife and probably his in laws that it was somehow their fault, not his fault. He will not take accountability or responsibility for his actions.

[Nancy Grace]

Do you agree with that, Dr. Brucato?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Well, I have a few things to Say about this case. And I think in some ways, I'm sort of uniquely suited to look at it because it touches on two areas that have been major ones for me in my research. First of all, dismemberment and mutilation need to be distinguished. I worked with Dr. Ann Burgess, Dr. Victor Petreca, Michael Stone, Dr. Michael Stone. And we came up with definitions to distinguish those offenses. It's important for people to understand that dismemberment, according to our work, really means the destruction or removal of a large part of the body, the torso, the arms, hand, pelvis, legs, or feet. And any destruction or elimination of a smaller part thereof, of any, you know, is. Would be mutilation. And the reason it's important is there are differences in the psychology and motives of people according to which of those things they're doing. What it sounds like here we don't know how. How much butchery there was, but this sounds like dismemberment offense. And with dismemberment, we found in our research that the vast majority of offenders are doing that to get rid body parts because of concern about capture the outside. You know, looking in makes it seem like it's some kind of bizarre, psychotic, crazy thing to do. But the reality is, it's a pretty organized thing to do that's done by a person that's trying to clean up after they've eliminated people. Now, the other thing that I think kind of puts me in a unique position here is I know that, you know, there's been a charge that this man has killed not only this woman, but her parents, which would place him in the category of mass murder. When I was at Columbia Medical Center, I led the largest study ever done of mass murder. And what I can tell you is that in order to know the motives of a person who commits mass murder, we have to know what was used to kill. If a gun is used, there's a very low likelihood that the person was seriously disturbed or mentally ill. If something else was used, like a knife, then we start thinking that this was an individual who was unwell in some way. The statistics become. It becomes much more probable that the.

[Nancy Grace]

Person was disturbed if they use a knife. Is that what you said?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Yes. The use of a knife would be more of a giveaway that you were dealing with somebody that would be authentically odd interpersonally, a little more kind of unwell. Right.

[Nancy Grace]

Are you saying insane?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Not insane, just odd. Odd. For example, the individual might be paranoid or a little bit aggressive.

[Nancy Grace]

Are you talking about someone that kills and dismembers with a knife.

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Talking about someone mass murderer using a knife.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, doesn't it go without saying that they're odd?

[Dr. Gary Brucato]

Well, odd when, when I say odd, I don't mean odd because you've committed murder or anything like that. I mean odd that even at baseline the person would say peculiar things would be a little bit kind of odd to the average individual. Hot headed, a little paranoid, a little peculiar. And that matches what we're hearing in that weird recording from TikTok and some of these stories about the detachment and the col. The family. Now what's interesting about this is when we see these kinds of cases where, you know, there's been this explosive potential killing of a family and then the. There's dismemberment, there's usually one of two reasons it happens. One is elimination murder as I term it, which is where the idea is to simply get rid of them because they are an impediment to something like, for example, I want to have a new romance or I am trying to get my hands on some money. The other that you see is some kind of domestic matter that causes an emotional disruption and somebody in an absolute rage kills someone and then has to kill everyone who has witnessed it in the. In the family. So that what I would suppose, if it turns out that this is indeed a mass murder followed by dismemberment, was that there was some kind of hot headed, angry, odd person who became enraged or had a motive to get rid of these people, did so, and then attempted in a clumsy, weird way to h. And the reason it's so odd and the stories are ridiculous is often that the person is odd and lacks that kind of interpersonal empathy to kind of pick up that people would think these stories were weird.

[Nancy Grace]

Let's go back to the Haskell's neighbor, Elle Benamy. Elle, question. I know you spent a good bit of time with May. Do you have any knowledge of Haskell having a fixation for on martial arts and kept samurai swords and crossbows in the home?

[Elle Benami]

Yeah, so I did notice that about him. I know that she mentioned that he would direct or produce martial arts related movies or videos or that he would go on martial arts trips to Japan, I believe, and I don't know why I remember this, but I seem to recall that he may have a black belt or a couple of black belts in different martial arts. And then I did know about their having various weapons in the house such as swords and samurai swords, I believe a crossbow, firearms. So that's definitely something that stayed very top of mind for me as a mom of four living next door.

[Nancy Grace]

Did her May's children tell your children about all the weapons to the point you did not want your children alone at their home upstairs?

[Elle Benami]

Yes. So they did mention that to my kids at several points about like, let's say a semi race sword or pointing up to where supposedly a specific firearm was kept. So that made me very nervous about their them going upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Of course, I trust May, and I did really like her three boys, so I was happy for them to play with my kids. I just didn't want there to be any accident.

[Nancy Grace]

Crime stories with Nancy Grace.

[Co-host/Producer]

Now, this guy, this business businessman, Dorian, has filed a complaint against Mayley's estate, claiming he's owed half a million dollars. And he's suing the estate's representative, Jody Montgomery, who once served as Britney Spears personal conservator. What proof does he have? He fronted May Lee money. Shouldn't this money go to their orphans? Okay, their orphans have enough to deal with Mei Lee's sons she raised under these horrendous conditions. With Haskell running around the house loose, they will forever have to live with the knowledge their mother was murdered, possibly when they were in the home. Oh, yes.

[Nancy Grace]

One day they're gonna go on the.

[Co-host/Producer]

Internet and find out everything. In recent court documents, a guy claims that Mae Lee, Sam Haskell's widow that he murdered verbally, verbally agreed to lend, agree to accept money lent to her by the plaintiff for the purchasing loan to her by the plaintiff for construction and mortgage payments on her home. Is there a legal document supporting this or was it an oral contract? He claims that May told him she was to buy the property with the intention of flipping it, selling it for a profit. Is that true? Well, Maylee won't be able to testify because she was murdered.

[Nancy Grace]

This is what happened.

[Co-host/Producer]

Folds. We wait. Nancy Grace signing off, unfolds. Goodbye, friend. Nancy Grace signing off. Goodbye, friend.

[Nancy Grace]

This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.