Father of murdered businessman Chris Smith speaks out

The father of slain California businessman Chris Smith, who was murdered over a $1.2million debt by his work partner in 2010, is speaking out. Smith, 32, was beaten to death by his business partner Ed Shin, now 42, over the unpaid debt for their debt-consolidating company 800XChange.

The father of slain California businessman Chris Smith, who was murdered over a $1.2million debt by his work partner in 2010, is speaking out.  

Smith, 32, was beaten to death by his business partner Ed Shin, now 42, over the unpaid debt for their debt-consolidating company 800XChange. 

After Smith's death, Shin hijacked his e-mail and for months sent emails to his partner's family to make it seem he was traveling in Africa to throw them off the scent.

Shin was convicted of the financially-motivated murder in December 2018 after Smith's blood was found splattered across the pair's San Juan Capistrano office - but the body was mysteriously never found. 

In an exclusive clip from ABC's 20/20, Smith's father reveals that after his son went missing he became suspicious of Shin and even carried a gun during a tense confrontation about his son's whereabouts. 

'I actually brought a gun with me, so I left it in the car. But I did bring a digital recorder to record our conversation,' Steve Smith, Chris' father said in the 20/20 special to air Friday January 24. 

In 2010 Chris Smith, 32, was beaten to death by his business partner Ed Shin, now 42, (above) over a $1.2million unpaid debt for their debt-consolidating company 800XChange Chris Smith's body was never found

In 2010 Chris Smith, 32, (right) was beaten to death by his business partner Ed Shin, now 42, (left) over a $1.2million unpaid debt for their debt-consolidating company 800XChange

In a new interview with ABC's 20/20 Chris' father Steve Smith reveals that he suspected Shin could know something about his son's disappearance and confronted him about it while taking a gun.

In a new interview with ABC's 20/20 Chris' father Steve Smith reveals that he suspected Shin could know something about his son's disappearance and confronted him about it while taking a gun. 

In that audio Steve Smith is heard expressing his concern over his son saying, 'We're just getting real nervous, we haven't heard from him in about three months.'

'Three?' Shin interjects.

In December 2018 Smith was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

In December 2018 Smith was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

'We're just freaking out that he could be killed somewhere, mugged or beat up,' Steve continued.  

But in the end, Shin rambled excuses about Chris' potential whereabouts, refusing to unveil the truth of the murder.  He claimed Chris got a fake passport through a man in Las Vegas who referred him to another man in Los Angeles. 

'He went on for about an hour of conversation about all kinds of stuff...I think there's something really wrong. He's lying to me. He's either knows what happens to Chris or he knows he's responsible for it,' Steve said.

In April 2011 Steve Smith filed a missing persons report with the Laguna Beach Police. Shin was then called in for questioning in June 2011 - one year after Chris was last seen.   

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Share 'He went on for about an hour of conversation about all kinds of stuff...I think there's something really wrong. He's lying to me. He's either knows what happens to Chris or he knows he's responsible for it,' Steve said in the 20/20 interview

'He went on for about an hour of conversation about all kinds of stuff...I think there's something really wrong. He's lying to me. He's either knows what happens to Chris or he knows he's responsible for it,' Steve said in the 20/20 interview

'It was a tough day. Just fell to my knees,' Chris' brother Paul Smith said on discovering his brother was killed. 'The images that come into your mind at that point of someone you love being murdered. Brought in a lot of emotions. And just heartbreak'

'It was a tough day. Just fell to my knees,' Chris' brother Paul Smith said on discovering his brother was killed. 'The images that come into your mind at that point of someone you love being murdered. Brought in a lot of emotions. And just heartbreak'

He told investigators: 'I don't know where he is.' 

'Honestly, I think he’s on the other side of the world. And he doesn’t want to be found,' Shin said. 

When the family brought in a computer expert to analyze the data in the e-mails Chris was supposedly sending the family, they discovered the e-mails had been sent from the US, not abroad in Africa where he claimed to be. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Department then went to the 800XChange's former offices and discovered traces of blood that a DNA test confirmed belonged to Chris Smith.

Shin was cuffed in August 2011 and claimed that he and Smith got into an argument and Smith fatally hit his head. 

Shin claimed he paid a mysterious eastern European man $10,000 to $15,000 to dispose of Smith's body. 

Shin was cuffed in August 2011 and claimed that he and Smith got into an argument and Smith fatally hit his head. Shin claimed he paid a mysterious eastern European man $10,000 to $15,000 to dispose of Smith's body. Chris Smith pictured above

Shin was cuffed in August 2011 and claimed that he and Smith got into an argument and Smith fatally hit his head. Shin claimed he paid a mysterious eastern European man $10,000 to $15,000 to dispose of Smith's body. Chris Smith pictured above

Shin maintains to this day he doesn't know where the body is. 

'I can't talk about that...because I don't know,' Shin said to 20/20 in a jailhouse interview. 'There is no way I can get into that at this point … I wish I could tell you more but, there's something bigger that I just can't talk about.'

The news of Chris' death and the lack of a body has broken his family.  

'It was a tough day. Just fell to my knees. The images that come into your mind at that point of someone you love being murdered. Brought in a lot of emotions. And just heartbreak,' Chris' brother Paul Smith said. 

In December 2018 Smith was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

The ABC 20/20 special entitled Cutthroat Inc will air Friday January 24.

 

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