Christopher Smith’s family were telling them he was in Africa they believed every bit of it. The sad truth was that Christopher was dead and murdered by his business partner. In fact it ws his business partner sending those emails to the family. Hit the jump to read the story.
@WiL
When his family started receiving emails telling them he decided to go on an adventure holiday to Africa, they were not surprised.
For months Christopher Ryan Smith, from Orange County, would send emails to his parents telling them how much fun he was having and of all the places he had visited.
But 32-year-old Christopher was not in Africa, or anywhere else for that matter. He was actually dead having allegedly been murdered by his business partner Edward Younghoon Shin, 33, in a dispute over money.
Police arrested Shin and another man, Kenny Kraft, in connection with the 2010 murder of the Orange County businessman.
Shin was charged with murder after confessing to the killing of his business partner.
Kenny Kraft, 34, was charged with being an accessory after a crime as authorities believe he helped Shin dispose of Smith’s SUV, clothes and other items. He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday afternoon.
Shin was caught after Christopher’s family grew suspicious and started to question his whereabouts.
They said that though what he was doing on his travels sounded like Christopher, the tone of the emails did not have his descriptive flair and sense of fun.
One day the professional wakeboarder was paragliding near Johannesburg. On another, he was sand boarding in huge mines in South Africa where the ‘sand was softer than snow powder’, according to the LA Times.
In December, the 32-year-old announced that he was going to Congo and Rwanda. Then, abruptly, all communication stopped.
His family were worried that he had fallen into harm in the war-torn countries so contacted U.S. authorities.
Shin is suspected of posing as Smith and sending the fake emails to his family and friends. The two men ran an Internet advertising company together.
