Shivangi Sinha
In June 2010, rising entrepreneur Chris Smith sent messages to his family saying he was going on vacation and would be out of touch. He also broke up with his girlfriend via text and had his shares in the company transferred to his business partner, Ed Shin. However, by December 2010, when Chris’s family grew concerned about his prolonged silence, they discovered that his passport had never been used to leave the country. This raised immediate red flags, prompting police to investigate. The last known person to see Chris was Ed Shin himself. NBC’s ‘Dateline: In a Lonely Place’ explores the case and the evidence that ultimately led to Shin’s conviction.
Ed Shin Stole Clients From His Employers For His New Business Venture
Edward “Ed” Younghoon Shin was born in California and completed his education at the University of California, San Diego. He appeared to have a stable personal life as he was married to his wife Karen and was raising three children together. Active in his church, Shin was regarded as a responsible and respected member of the community. He later settled in Orange County, California, where he began working at LG Tech, a lead generation company. His connection to the company came through a church acquaintance who was one of its executives. He started in a sales role but gradually advanced his career within the organization.
Things appeared to be going well for Shin, but beneath the surface, he was hiding a number of financial troubles. His role involved managing client relationships, and he often took them on lavish trips to places like Las Vegas, Nevada, and he paid for them out of his pocket. This lifestyle drained his finances, and he allegedly also struggled with a gambling problem. In 2009, he met Chris Smith, an entrepreneur from Laguna Beach who had founded a lead generation company called 800XChange. The two entered into business together, but Shin began diverting clients away from LG Tech. The fraud was eventually uncovered after LG Tech suffered losses totaling nearly $2.5 million, prompting the company to take legal action against him.
Ed Shin Impersonated Chris Smith and Kept in Contact With the Latter’s Family
With limited options and facing financial pressure, Ed Shin turned to his business partner, Chris Smith, for help in paying the $700,000 restitution he had been ordered to pay. However, the latter refused to lend him the money and instead expressed his intention to sell his shares. On June 4, 2010, Shin called his business partner to their office in San Juan Capistrano and killed him. He then took control of Chris’ phone, using it to authorize fund transfers and send messages to his loved ones. Posing as Chris, he told them he was on a three-week sailing trip to the Galápagos Islands and Costa Rica and even ended Chris’ relationship via text with his girlfriend.
Shin continued to send deceptive emails while impersonating Chris. In December 2010, he claimed Chris was planning to sell his gold Krugerrands to a dealer in Rwanda. This alarmed the latter’s family and his parents contacted the police and requested a welfare check. Investigators soon discovered that Chris’ passport had never been used, raising serious concerns. When questioned, Shin claimed that his business partner had traveled using a fake passport and that he had wired money to him in India. Police grew more suspicious upon learning that the 800XChange office had been vacated, with numerous unpaid bills left behind.
During a search of the office, police discovered traces of blood that were confirmed to belong to Chris. Upon learning about the $700,000 restitution Shin was required to pay, investigators believed he had a clear motive. In August 2011, authorities arrested Shin. During questioning, he admitted to killing Chris but claimed it had been in self-defense. According to him, the two had gotten into a physical altercation, and he pushed Chris, who then fatally hit his head. He also confessed to disposing of his business partner’s body. Prosecutors, however, were unconvinced by his explanation and charged him with first-degree murder.
Ed Shin is Serving a Life Sentence Today
Ed Shin’s trial began in 2018, but even then, he refused to disclose what he had done with Chris’ remains. He claimed he had paid someone to dispose of the body and insisted he didn’t know what happened after that. The jury ultimately found him guilty of first-degree murder committed for financial gain. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Now 47 years old, he is incarcerated at California State Prison, Solano in Vacaville, where he is expected to spend the rest of his life.
