| For Immediate Release Case # TBA August 29, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR FINANCIAL GAIN FOR MURDERING BUSINESS PARTNER TO ASSUME FULL CONTROL OF THE COMPANY
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed charged today against a man for murdering his business partner in their San Juan Capistrano office to gain control of the victim’s shares of the company. Edward Younghoon Shin, 33, Irvine, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder for financial gain and faces a sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. He is being held without bail and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
In 2010, Shin is accused of co-owning an Internet advertising business, 800xchange, with 33-year-old Christopher Smith. On June 4, 2010, Shin is accused of murdering Smith in their San Juan Capistrano office and disposing of the body. He is accused of committing the murder for financial gain with the intention of acquiring full ownership of the business.
After the murder, Shin is accused of producing documents containing a false signature from Smith signing the rights of the business over to defendant.
Smith lived in the City of Laguna Beach and the Laguna Beach Police Department began investigating this case as a missing persons case based on a report filed by the victim’s family in April 2011. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) took over as the lead investigating agency based on evidence that the victim had been murdered in San Juan Capistrano.
Shin was arrested yesterday, Aug. 28, 2011, by OCSD Investigators at Los Angeles International Airport sitting onboard a flight awaiting departure to Canada.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Randy Litwin at (714) 347-8492 or the OCSD Homicide Unit at (714) 647-7048.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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