logo
X-Men actor Shawn Ashmore shares heartbreaking tribute after murder of friend

X-Men actor Shawn Ashmore shares heartbreaking tribute after murder of friend

Metro16-07-2025
Shawn Ashmore has spoken out after the murder of his friend Mei Li Haskell, days after the suspect took his own life.
The X-Men star, 45, and his wife Dana, 42, shared a heartbreaking tribute saying their 'hearts are heavy' but they do have some closure.
Mei Li, 37, was murdered in her home in Tazana, California, on November 6, 2023, along with her mother Yanxiang Wang, 64, and her stepfather Gaoshan Li, 71.
Sam Haskell IV, the son of a prominent Hollywood executive, was accused of the murders and took his own life on Saturday while awaiting trial.
'Our hearts are heavy, but we feel some small sense of peace knowing there is finally a bit of closure,' said Shawn and his wife in a statement.
The couple reportedly helped local police with their investigation, so have not been able to address the case publicly until now.
They 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 Boys actor initially met Mei Li in 2022 through their children, who became friends after going to school in the same area.
'She was so generous, so kind, so loving,' Dana said to TMZ. 'She's someone that never deserved this.'
The outlet reports she was discovered after being dismembered and her body brutally disposed of in the bin. Her parents' bodies were not found.
Mei Li was a devoted mother as well as an avid pickleball player and loved collecting Pokémon cards, according to the couple.
One memory shared was when she brought a children's cooking set from China for their kids as a gift.
'[Mei Li] 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's deeply missed, and always will be.' More Trending
Haskell was found dead in his cell in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, with TMZ reporting he left behind a note saying he would miss his 'three best friends', meaning his sons.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said of the suicide: '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.'
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: American Idol TV executive Robin Kaye and husband murdered in their LA home
MORE: Paranormal TV investigator Dan Rivera dies suddenly while touring with haunted Annabelle doll
MORE: Kevin Spacey begs for release of Epstein files and insists he 'has nothing to fear'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Phil Collins, 74, admitted to hospital after clearing up ‘hospice' rumours
Phil Collins, 74, admitted to hospital after clearing up ‘hospice' rumours

Metro

time3 hours ago

  • Metro

Phil Collins, 74, admitted to hospital after clearing up ‘hospice' rumours

Earlier this year, Phil Collins revealed he has been 'very sick' but despite rumours, he has clarified he's not in a hospice – but is in hospital. Last week was a brutal one for music fans as we lost the iconic Ozzy Osbourne and jazz legend Chuck Mangione, as well as wrestler Hulk Hogan. Social media was rife with speculation about Phil's health, with a rumour that he was in a hospice (usually reserved for the terminally ill) spreading quickly among fans. Concerns for the 74-year-old musician have been growing since he officially retired in 2022 after Genesis ' farewell show. Phil's spokesperson has attempted to calm any worry surrounding the Genesis drummer's health, assuring TMZ he is 'nowhere near death'. Instead, the You'll Be In My Heart legend is in hospital for a knee operation — not in hospice care at all. The spokesperson did not specify any details about the knee operation but this is not the first surgery Phil has undergone. In 2007, the In The Air Tonight hitmaker suffered a spinal injury, resulting in his continuous struggle with severe nerve damage and deteriorating mobility. He had dislocated vertebrae in his neck while on tour with Genesis but after two surgeries — in 2009 and 2015 — Phil was reliant on a cane. The injury also resulted in numbness in his hands, meaning that by 2019, he was unable to hold drumsticks and had to retire. On top of this, in 2021, the Hall of Famer revealed he also had diabetes so his health was suffering as a result of that too. Speaking to Mojo magazine in their April issue, he shared: 'I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens. Up Next 'But I'm not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I've been sick, I mean very sick.' While Phil might not be desperate to record new music, he did sit down at a drum set for the first time in 15 years with the help of his son, Nic Collins. He was honoured in a documentary, Drummer First, which explored the Against All Odds hitmaker's life and legacy as a drummer. In the documentary trailer, he commented: 'It's still kind of sinking in a bit… I've spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock. 'If I can't do what I did as well as I did it, I'd rather relax and not do anything. If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I will have a crack at it. ' I just feel like I've used up my air miles. It just feels so strange to hold a pair.' Phil was last publicly seen in May when he supported his son, Mathew, 20, at a football match. He plays for WSG Tirol II, which is the youth academy team of Austrian club WSG Tirol. Mathew posed with dad in the stands of the club's stadium, with the younger Collins family member still dressed in his green kit while Phil opted for a snuggly fleece. The caption read, 'Two big wins today!', hinting that his dad's attendance meant a lot in the face of the drummer's deteriorating health. Metro has reached out to Phil Collins' reps for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.

Online Safety Act having a ‘catastrophic' impact on free speech after users blocked from viewing videos of asylum seeker hotel protests, campaigners warn
Online Safety Act having a ‘catastrophic' impact on free speech after users blocked from viewing videos of asylum seeker hotel protests, campaigners warn

Daily Mail​

time9 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Online Safety Act having a ‘catastrophic' impact on free speech after users blocked from viewing videos of asylum seeker hotel protests, campaigners warn

The Online Safety Act is having a 'catastrophic' impact on free speech after people were blocked from viewing videos of asylum seeker hotel protests, campaigners have warned. Users of X – formerly Twitter – complained they were unable to view clips of police detaining activists in the UK, with messages on-screen saying it was 'due to local laws'. X even barred users from watching a powerful speech about grooming gangs which Conservative MP Katie Lam made to Parliament earlier this year. Since last Friday, websites have been required to check users are aged over 18 before letting them access potentially 'harmful' material such as pornography or face being fined up to £18million. But critics including US Vice-President JD Vance have said legislation introduced by the Tories in 2023 could be used to attack free speech. After a demonstration outside the Britannia Hotel in Leeds on Friday, X users said it blocked arrest footage. They were shown the message: 'Due to local laws, we are temporarily restricting access to this content until X estimates your age.' Following a row over Essex Police allegedly escorting counter-protesters to a demonstration in Epping, West Yorkshire Police stressed it was not involved in censoring posts. X has not commented but its AI chatbot Grok suggested the Leeds clip was restricted under the Online Safety Act due to violent conduct. As X does not have an age verification process, for many, access to posts defaulted to 'restricted' mode. Reform UK's Zia Yusuf last night branded the Online Safety Act 'the biggest ever assault on free speech in the UK'. 'This Tory monstrosity hands unelected bureaucrats sweeping powers to censor content they disapprove of,' he told the Mail. Madeleine Stone, senior advocacy officer at Big Brother Watch, warned of a 'catastrophic effect on free speech online' with 'intrusive new age checks to access a range of websites'. A government spokesman said: 'Free speech is fundamental to our democracy and we've taken robust action to protect it, including through the Online Safety Act.'

Shaolin Temple leader under investigation on suspicion of embezzling funds
Shaolin Temple leader under investigation on suspicion of embezzling funds

Leader Live

time15 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Shaolin Temple leader under investigation on suspicion of embezzling funds

Shi Yongxin was alleged to have committed criminal offences and seriously violated the Buddhist precepts by maintaining relationships with multiple women over a long period and fathering at least one child, according to a notice from the temple's authority on its WeChat account. The notice said multiple departments are conducting a joint investigation against Shi Yongxin, and relevant findings would be announced to the public in due course. The fame of the Shaolin Temple, based in the central Chinese province of Henan, has gone beyond a religious institution. It is also famous for its martial arts culture, or kung fu, which has been referenced in many movies and TV dramas, including the 1982 film The Shaolin Temple, starring martial arts superstar Jet Li. The news about Shi Yongxin, whose original name Liu Yingcheng, ranked top on Chinese search engine Baidu and X-like social media platform Weibo on Sunday night. Local media reported that the abbot had been hit by scandalous accusations in the past, including claims that he fathered several children and embezzled money. According to news outlet Caixin Global, provincial investigation reports exonerated him of all charges in 2016. Shi Yongxin entered Shaolin Temple in 1981 and became its abbot in 1999, according to the temple's website. Xinhua in 2015 reported that he was known as a 'CEO monk,' as one of the first Chinese monks to obtain an MBA, and he had sparked controversy for developing commercial operations like lucrative kung fu shows and merchandise. Earlier on Sunday, Chinese local media outlets reported that authorities had dismissed an online notice claiming Shi Yongxin was intercepted by authorities while trying to flee with his mistresses and children as fake.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store