Irvine man sentenced to life without parole for killing his business partner, a Laguna Beach resident

An Irvine man was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2010 murder of a Laguna Beach resident who was his business partner, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Edward Younghoon Shin, 41, was convicted of first-degree murder in December, despite his argument that the death of 33-year-old Christopher Smith in their San Juan Capistrano office was the result of a “fight gone bad.”

Prosecutors said Shin murdered Smith so he could take full ownership of their advertising firm, 800xchange.

During his trial, Shin claimed that Smith “blew up” at him — causing a fight that ended with Smith falling and hitting his head on a desk.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy, however, called Shin the “gold-medal winner” in the “liar Olympics” at the trial.

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