Ep 10. An Inconvenient Murder

Vanity Fair Confidential season 4 episode 10, titled "An Inconvenient Murder," takes viewers into the complicated case of a wealthy businessman and political donor, Ed Shin. Shin fled to Mexico after killing his business partner Chris Smith, but things quickly unraveled when Smith's wife, Erica, began digging into the sudden disappearance of her husband.

The episode begins by exploring the close friendship between Shin and Smith, who met in college and later went into business together. They founded a company that provided advertising services to car dealerships, and their success led them to become influential political donors. However, their friendship began to sour when they started to have disagreements over the direction of the company.

One day in June 2010, Smith vanished without a trace. Shin claimed that Smith had gone on a business trip to Asia, but Erica Smith was skeptical. She began to investigate her husband's disappearance, hiring private investigators to track down leads and using social media to raise awareness about the case.

Despite Shin's insistence that Smith was still alive, his behavior began to raise suspicions. He started to drive Smith's cars and wear his clothes, claiming that he was doing so to keep up appearances for the company. Eventually, Shin convinced Smith's family that he was trying to help find him, but Erica was still unconvinced.

The episode takes viewers through the twists and turns of the investigation, including a shocking discovery in a storage locker that Shin had rented. The locker contained Smith's remains, which had been dismembered and hidden in several plastic bins.

As the case unfolded, it became clear that Shin had not only killed his business partner but had also embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from their company. Erica Smith emerged as a key player in bringing Shin to justice, using her own investigative work to help law enforcement build their case against him.

The episode also delves into the psychology of Shin, who had a history of taking advantage of people and lying compulsively. Interviews with people who knew him reveal a complex and disturbing portrait of a man who was driven by greed and willing to go to great lengths to maintain his image.

Overall, "An Inconvenient Murder" is a gripping exploration of a shocking crime and the people affected by it. It highlights the power of persistence and determination in solving mysteries and bringing criminals to justice.