SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) -Sheriff's detectives from Orange County and San Diego County were in Boulevard Saturday, searching for evidence in the case of a man accused of killing his business partner.
33-year-old Edward Younghoon Shin is accused of murdering 32-year-old Christopher Smith over money, but he has never
told investigators what he did with Smith's body.
Now, 18 months later, investigators have focused their search in San Diego.
"We're searching for evidence in a homicide that occurred in Orange County 18 months ago," Lt. Chris Cormier of the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.
Nearly two years after police say 32-year-old Smith was killed by his business partner, new leads are bringing them to San Diego County to find his body.
Orange County sheriff's investigators wouldn't specify what led them to this remote part of Boulevard, but launched a large scale, early morning search of the area with help from the San Diego County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team.
Shin was arrested at LAX last August as he was about to board a flight for Canada.
After a six-hour interrogation, the Irvine man confessed to killing Smith inside their San Juan Capistrano office, but never revealed what he had done with his body.
The two men were co-owners of 800 Exchange, a company that generated media leads for advertisers.
But when Smith learned of Shin's shady business past, which included an embezzlement conviction and a series of lawsuits; the Laguna Beach man wanted out and stood to walk away with $1 million.
"Shin also hijacked Smith's personal email account and remained in contact with Smith's family and friends to make it appear that he was still alive and had gone on extended vacation," Orange County Assistant Sheriff, Mark Billings said.
While this murder mystery continues to unfold, only time will tell if the clues needed to close this case have been hiding here in the rugged mountains of San Diego County.
Edward Shin is currently being held without bail in the Orange County jail. He'll be arraigned in court March 28th.
Orange County investigators have also arrested 34-year-old Kenny Kraft on suspicion of accessory in the case.
They say Kraft admitted he helped Shin dispose of Smith's belongings, including his Range Rover, which was found in San Jose.
News 8's Adrienne Moore files this video report with the latest on the investigation.