Pierre Romain Haobsh was born in the United States and raised primarily in Southern California. Not much is publicly known about his early years, but reports have described a family background that was both unconventional and enigmatic. His father, Frederick Haobsh—also known as Frederick Smith—is a Jordanian-born U.S. citizen who claimed ties to the CIA during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He reportedly founded an oil company, Cal Tech International Inc., which later dissolved. The elder Haobsh lived a reclusive life in Oceanside, California, where he and his son rented rooms in a modest home.
Pierre Haobsh also has a half-sister, Nadine Jolie Courtney, who is a beauty blogger and author. She appeared on the Bravo reality show Newlyweds: The First Year and described their upbringing as Middle Eastern and Circassian in heritage. Their mother, Nancy Berchtold Haobsh, died of cancer in 2008. Despite these family connections, Haobsh maintained a relatively low online and public profile before his arrest.
A Fabricated Identity
Haobsh presented himself as an entrepreneur with grandiose claims. He boasted about having access to a Lamborghini and a private jet, and portrayed himself as someone on the brink of lucrative business deals. In reality, his financial situation was unstable. He lived with his father in a rented space, drove a used Lexus, and carried an aura of eccentricity, according to neighbors and acquaintances.
Before the murders, Haobsh had been in contact with Dr. Henry Han, a respected herbalist and physician based in Santa Barbara. Haobsh and Han were reportedly engaged in discussions over a cannabis-related business venture. They signed documentation for a company named Obsidian Teradyne LLC the day before the Han family was murdered. Prosecutors would later present this agreement as key evidence pointing toward Haobsh’s motive—financial gain.
The Triple Murder and Arrest
On March 23, 2016, the bodies of Dr. Henry Han, his wife Huijie “Jennie” Yu, and their 5-year-old daughter Emily were discovered wrapped in plastic and duct tape in the garage of their Goleta-area home. All three had been shot multiple times in the head. Haobsh quickly became a suspect.
Two days later, law enforcement tracked Haobsh to a gas station in Bonsall, California. He was arrested without incident. A search of his vehicle revealed damning evidence: a 9mm handgun, a .22-caliber Ruger pistol later confirmed as the murder weapon, a homemade suppressor, and personal items belonging to the Han family, including their electronic devices wrapped in foil. Receipts and surveillance footage showed Haobsh purchasing the plastic sheeting and duct tape used to conceal the bodies.
Authorities concluded that Haobsh’s motive was financial. Evidence showed he had gained access to Dr. Han’s bank and Social Security information, and had attempted to transfer $100,000 into his own account after the murders.
Trial and Conviction
Haobsh was charged with three counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, including multiple murder, lying in wait, and murder for financial gain. His trial did not involve a jury; he waived that right and opted for a bench trial before Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Brian Hill.
In 2021, Judge Hill found Haobsh guilty on all counts. During sentencing in April 2022, Haobsh dismissed his public defenders and attempted to represent himself. He claimed that his conviction was the result of a conspiracy and alluded to shadowy operatives from the Department of Energy. The judge rejected these assertions, describing them as baseless and incoherent.
Haobsh was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, with additional 25-to-life enhancements for special circumstances. He was also ordered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and restitution.
Appeal and Current Status
Following his sentencing, Haobsh filed an appeal in May 2022, challenging both the sufficiency of the evidence and alleged procedural errors. In January 2025, the Second District Court of Appeal upheld the conviction. The justices noted that the evidence presented at trial was overwhelming, and they declined to reweigh or reinterpret it. His appeal was denied, and the judgment was affirmed.
As of now, Pierre Haobsh is serving his sentence in a state prison in Los Angeles County. With no possibility of parole, he is expected to remain incarcerated for the rest of his life.
More “The Han Family Murders”
- “The Han Family Murders”: 48 Hours Revisits a Chilling Triple Homicide November 8 2025
- Who Is Pierre Haobsh & Where Is He Now? 2025 Update & Background