X-Men star speaks out over horrific murder of friend
'Our hearts are heavy, but we feel some small sense of peace knowing there is finally a bit of closure,' Ashmore, 45, and his wife, 42, said of following the suicide of suspect Sam Haskell IV.
Ashmore and his spouse continued: 'We are mourning the loss of an extraordinary mother, someone who poured her entire heart into her three boys and never stopped putting them first.'
The Canadian actor and his spouse issued a public statement after officials with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office confirmed Haskell's death in custody via suicide.
The duo had not been permitted to open up about the case publicly due to ongoing litigation in the matter, TMZ reported Tuesday, as they had worked with officials on behalf of their late friend Mei Li.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release Monday that officials found Haskell's lifeless body in his assigned cell at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility early Saturday.
Authorities have not yet announced a specific cause of death for Haskell.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said of the suspect's death: 'Instead of standing before a judge and answering for the crimes he's been charged with, the defendant managed to escape justice.
'This is one last cruel act by someone who did the most horrific things for reasons we will never entirely know.'
Hochman said that Haskell's suicide prior to facing justice deprived the relatives of his victims potentially cathartic experiences in letting him know how much damage he caused.
'A family that has been dealing with unimaginable loss now has been robbed of their chance to face him, hold him accountable for his barbaric actions and openly share their grief and their cherished memories of their loved ones, Hochman said.
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