Ep 33. To Catch a Genius

To Catch a Genius, the 33rd episode of the 28th season of 48 Hours Mystery, delves into the case of a missing wealthy millionaire named Ed Shin. Shin was the CEO of a California start-up company called 800XChange that specialized in helping customers upgrade their old mobile phones. He had a reputation as a brilliant businessman and a tech genius, but also had a dark side filled with lies and deceit.

Shin had a partner named Chris Smith who was also a close friend of his. They started the company together and had a promising future ahead of them. However, when Shin started to embezzle money from their clients and the company, Smith became suspicious and started to question him about it. Shin, who was known to be very manipulative, convinced Smith that it was all a big misunderstanding and that he would make it right.

But the embezzlement continued, and Smith eventually went to the authorities and reported Shin. This led to Shin being investigated, and when he found out, he went on the run. He vanished without a trace, leaving behind his family, friends, and business partners.

The case went cold until a few years later when a private investigator named Jayden Brant was hired by Shin's family to find him. Brant spent months tracking down leads and chasing down rumors until he finally found a clue that led him to a remote area in the California desert. There, he stumbled upon a makeshift campsite that belonged to Shin. The campsite was abandoned, but there were signs that someone had been living there. Brant searched the area and found evidence that suggested Shin had been planning to go underground and live off the grid.

However, Shin was still missing, and Brant had no idea where he was. The case took a strange turn when a young woman named Jennifer Lee approached Brant and claimed that she knew Shin's whereabouts. Lee was an aspiring actress who had worked with Shin in the past, and she claimed that Shin had contacted her and asked for her help. According to Lee, Shin had told her that he was planning to turn himself in, but he needed her help to do it.

Brant was skeptical of Lee's claims but decided to follow up on them anyway. He arranged to meet Lee at a hotel in Las Vegas, where she was staying. When he arrived, he found Lee waiting for him in the lobby. She told him that Shin was staying in a nearby hotel and that she could lead Brant to him.

Brant was suspicious of Lee's motives and decided to take precautions. He wired himself with a hidden microphone and camera and followed Lee to a nearby hotel where she led him to a room. There, he found Shin waiting for him. Shin was disheveled and looked like he had been living off the grid for months. He told Brant that he wanted to turn himself in and that he had been trying to do so for weeks, but he didn't know how to go about it.

Brant was hesitant to trust Shin, but he decided to hear him out. Shin told him that he had been planning to turn himself in, but he didn't trust the authorities. He also claimed that he had been living off the grid because he was afraid that someone was after him.

To Catch a Genius follows the investigation as Brant tries to verify Shin's claims and figure out whether he is telling the truth. The episode explores Shin's troubled past and his history of deceit and manipulation. It also delves into the investigation and the challenges that Brant faces as he tries to unravel the truth.

The episode offers a thrilling and suspenseful look into a case that has stumped investigators for years. It highlights the complexity of human behavior and the lengths that some people will go to avoid the consequences of their actions. To Catch a Genius is a must-watch for anyone interested in true crime and the psychology of criminals.