“In a Lonely Place”: Dateline Reports on Chris Smith Homicide July 26 2025

On Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, Dateline NBC will air a compelling new episode titled In a Lonely Place, reported by Keith Morrison. The episode revisits the tragic story of California entrepreneur Chris Smith, whose sudden disappearance in 2010 launched a mystery that would haunt his family for years. Initially believed to be on a global adventure, Smith’s fate was eventually revealed to be far more sinister, unraveling a calculated and deceitful murder carried out by someone he trusted most—his business partner, Ed Shin.

Chris Smith’s story began as one of reinvention and freedom. The successful young businessman appeared to have cast off his fast-paced life for a romantic journey across the world. For six months, family and friends received cheerful emails from Chris describing his exotic travels. But beneath the surface of those messages was a horrifying truth. Chris Smith never left California. Instead, he was murdered in his Laguna Beach office, and his identity was impersonated to hide the crime.

Chris Smith: Entrepreneur, Adventurer, and Victim

Chris Smith was known to his loved ones as a passionate, independent spirit who loved surfing, the outdoors, and pursuing new ventures. After finding success in California’s digital advertising industry, he co-founded a company called 800XChange in Laguna Beach with a man named Ed Shin. Though their personalities seemed at odds—Smith a laid-back surfer, Shin a married father of four with a buttoned-up image—their business flourished.

By mid-2010, Chris appeared to be overwhelmed by work and in need of a change. In June of that year, he suddenly announced he had sold his share of the company and was embarking on a sailing trip around the world. He broke up with his girlfriend via text and began sending emails to family members about adventures in places like the Galápagos, South America, and Africa. The messages continued for months. His final email in December 2010 described a risky gold deal in Rwanda, raising concerns among his family, particularly his father Steve, a former police officer.

Despite the detailed correspondence, something felt off. No phone calls, no photos, and no physical proof of Chris’s travels surfaced. Suspicions deepened when the family contacted the U.S. Department of State and discovered there was no record of Chris ever leaving the country.

The Investigation: Digital Deceit and a Hidden Crime Scene

After realizing something was seriously wrong, the Smith family hired a computer expert who analyzed the metadata from Chris’s emails. The messages, thought to be from overseas, had in fact been sent from inside the United States. Steve Smith confronted Ed Shin, who claimed Chris had used a fake passport to travel. Still unconvinced, Steve filed a missing person report with the Laguna Beach Police Department in April 2011.

Private investigator Joe Dalu, working on behalf of the property manager for the former 800XChange office, uncovered critical evidence: dark stains that appeared to be blood. Crime scene investigators confirmed the stains were from Chris Smith. DNA testing confirmed it. The office had been hastily cleaned, but beneath the carpet and paint were the signs of a violent struggle.

Ed Shin’s story soon unraveled. Initially denying involvement, he ultimately told police that he and Chris had fought, and Chris fatally struck his head during the altercation. Rather than notify authorities, Shin said he paid an unidentified man to dispose of the body. He then assumed Chris’s identity to delay suspicion, continuing to send emails and managing the business on his own.

Motive and Trial: Greed, Gambling, and a Calculated Cover-Up

Investigators learned Shin had been on probation for embezzling over $800,000 from a previous employer and was required to pay restitution to avoid prison. The only way to secure that payment was through funds from 800XChange. Prosecutors argued that Chris Smith had begun questioning Shin’s financial behavior and refused to sign off on transactions that would enable Shin to access company money. According to former Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy, that resistance sealed his fate.

On June 4, 2010, Smith was last seen alive. Prosecutors believe Shin lured him to the office, killed him—possibly by beating or stabbing—and disposed of his body. Minutes later, Shin began impersonating Chris in emails, crafting a narrative of adventure and independence. By controlling both the business and Chris’s digital identity, Shin was able to pay off restitution, gamble in Las Vegas, and continue his double life.

Shin’s defense argued the death was an accident during a drunken fight. But forensic evidence, including blood in Chris’s Range Rover and cellphone pings near the Mexican border, told a different story. After a short deliberation, a jury found Shin guilty of first-degree murder with special circumstances in December 2018.

Aftermath: Justice Delivered, But Questions Remain

Shin was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. To this day, he maintains that the death was accidental and that he paid someone to dispose of the body, claiming he does not know where Chris is buried. He has declined to offer further information, leaving the Smith family without closure. Authorities believe Shin may have driven the body to the desert near the Mexico border, based on his cellphone records, but a body has never been recovered.

The emotional toll on the Smith family has been devastating. Paul Smith, Chris’s younger brother, described the pain of imagining what his brother endured. Despite the conviction, the absence of a body and Shin’s refusal to fully disclose the truth continue to haunt the family. They remain committed to keeping Chris’s memory alive and believe they will be reunited with him one day.

Legacy of a Life Cut Short

Chris Smith was more than a victim—he was a son, a brother, a friend, and a visionary entrepreneur. His story highlights the devastating consequences of greed and betrayal, as well as the strength of a family determined to uncover the truth. Through the efforts of law enforcement, private investigators, and prosecutors, justice was served, though not entirely fulfilled.

Dateline’s In a Lonely Place offers a rare look into the mind of a manipulative killer and the unwavering resolve of a grieving family. While the episode brings new attention to the case, the hope remains that one day, the Smiths will find the final piece of their heartbreaking puzzle.