Father and Sons on Trial in Hong Kong for Gruesome Murder of Model
Abby Choi's dismembered remains, including a skull and ribs found in a soup pot, were discovered at a suburban house.
A father and his two sons have gone on trial in Hong Kong, accused of the murder and dismemberment of model Abby Choi. Police discovered parts of her mutilated body in February 2023 at a house in Lung Mei Tsuen, a suburban area of the city. Choi's legs were found in a refrigerator, and her skull and several ribs were recovered from a soup pot.
Choi, a 28-year-old influencer with over 140,000 Instagram followers, had shared photos from Paris Fashion Week just days before her death. Her ex-husband, Alex Kwong, along with his father Kwong Kau and brother Anthony Kwong, have pleaded not guilty to murder charges, according to statements made to a nine-person jury. If convicted, the defendants face life imprisonment.
All three are also charged with preventing the lawful burial of a body, a charge to which Alex and Anthony Kwong have pleaded guilty. During the hearing, the defendants appeared calm. According to local reports, they wore masks and sat in separate rows of the dock, with five correctional services officers present.
Prosecutors allege that financial disputes over a luxury property were at the root of the crime. Choi reportedly purchased the property for HK$60 million (approximately $7.65 million) and, to avoid higher taxes, had registered it under the name of her former father-in-law years prior. Prosecutors stated that Kwong Kau, a 68-year-old retired police sergeant, became deeply resentful when Choi attempted to sell the property in 2022, leading to a decision to kill her.
The prosecution claims that all three defendants collaborated in the murder and the subsequent disposal of Choi's body at the suburban house. Choi had two children with Alex Kwong before their divorce. She later married Chris Tam, with whom she had two more children.
The trial, expected to continue until December, has garnered significant attention in Hong Kong, a city where violent crime is relatively uncommon. Choi's final social media posts featured a photoshoot with the fashion publication L'Officiel Monaco. Friends have described her as a kind and helpful person who maintained good relationships with her family, including traveling with the families of both her current and former husbands.