Shawn Ashmore and his wife Dana are speaking out about the horrific 2023 murder of their friend Mei Li Haskell … Finally feeling some sense of closure after the suspect, Sam Haskell IV – the son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell – died by suicide and was spared the agony of a trial.
The “X-Men” star and his wife tell TMZ in a statement … “Our hearts are heavy, but we feel a small sense of peace knowing there is finally some closure. We are mourning the loss of an extraordinary mother, someone who poured her whole heart into her three boys and never stopped putting them first.
The couple were not allowed to speak about the case until now… because they were working alongside authorities as representatives of their close family friend.
Shawn and Dana formed a close bond with Mei Li after their children became friends at their Los Angeles school about three years ago. They say Mei Li was an incredible mother—always present, always loving, and always giving.
They tell us she was an avid pickleball player with a love for Pokémon cards, and they recall a touching memory of Mei Li bringing back a children’s cooking set from China as a gift for her children. “She was so generous, so kind, so loving,” Dana said. “She’s someone who never deserved this.”
As we first reported… Haskell has been accused of brutally murdering Mei Li and her parents in late 2023, dismembering her body and dumping her remains in a dumpster.
Last Saturday, Haskell committed suicide at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. Sources tell us he left behind a note saying he would miss his three best friends—his children.
Additionally, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told TMZ that prior to his arrest, Haskell had purchased a one-way ticket to Japan for himself and his girlfriend, suggesting he had plans to abandon those children.
For Shawn and Dana, the loss is personal and profound. As they remember their friend and his legacy, they are holding on to memories and Mei Li’s example as a mother and friend.
The couple says Mei “was more than a friend; she went above and beyond for everyone who had the gift of knowing her. Her love, her laughter, her warmth – she is deeply missed and always will be.”
