Hong Kong model and influencer Abby Choi, a prominent figure in the city's social and fashion circles, disappeared in 2023, sparking a murder investigation that shocked the city. Choi, then 28, was reported missing on 21 February 2023 after failing to collect her daughter from school. Three days later, police found parts of her remains at a village house in Lung Mei Tsuen, Tai Po.
Her former husband and two relatives are on trial for her murder, which they deny. Just recently, in October 2026, her murder trial renewed attention to the discovery of her dismembered remains in cooking pots with carrots. Forensic experts presented the 2023 findings, while prosecutors described the alleged plan to kill her.
Forensic Evidence in Court
In the trial, the High Court reviewed forensic findings regarding two cooking pots recovered from the property. Choi's head and other tissue were found immersed in liquid in a large pot containing cooked green and red carrots. A smaller pot contained five pieces of flesh and three clumps of hair. Toxicology tests detected no common drugs or narcotics in the examined remains, according to The Standard.
The testimony summarised evidence collected in February and March 2023 and introduced no new findings. Police found Choi's legs in a refrigerator at the house, along with an electric saw, a meat slicer, and other equipment.
Prosecutors allege the house was prepared to dismember and dispose of Choi's body. The court also heard that CCTV footage showed the defendants visiting the property 18 times in the weeks before her death.
An Alleged Murder Plan
Prosecutors describe the killing as premeditated. They allege that Choi's former husband, Alex Kwong, his father, Kwong Kau, and his brother, Anthony Kwong, rented a village house and bought equipment to carry out the crime.
According to prosecution evidence, the men bought items including a hammer, chainsaw, meat mincer, chopping boards, gloves, a large plastic box, and metal soup pots. Prosecutors also presented CCTV footage and receipts for these purchases. The court heard that the men considered buying equipment to process bones but ultimately did not.
Prosecutors allege each man had a specific role in the plan. In her opening statement, prosecutor Charlotte Draycott stated, 'We say the three of them decided they would do it together'. The purchases, property visits, and other recordings support the prosecution's claim that the killing was planned in advance. The defendants have not been convicted, and the court will determine the outcome of these allegations.
The School-Pickup Ruse
Prosecutors allege that on 21 February 2023, Choi entered a vehicle, believing she was collecting her daughter from school. Anthony Kwong, her former driver, was driving, and Alex Kwong was also present.
The prosecution stated that Choi was struck with a hammer during the journey, causing fatal head injuries. A forensic report found her skull injuries matched the hammer presented in court, and prosecutors cited DNA evidence on the hammer's handle.
CCTV footage showed the vehicle travelling toward Lung Mei Tsuen that afternoon. Additional recordings allegedly captured the defendants moving a large plastic box into the property. Choi's last recorded online activity was at 2:44 pm.
Prosecutors allege the men disposed of parts of her body before police searched the house on 24 February. These details reflect the prosecution's reconstruction of events and do not represent findings of guilt.
The Property Dispute
Prosecutors allege that a dispute over a luxury apartment was a key motive for the killing. Choi purchased the apartment in 2019 for HK72.8 million (£7.01 million) and registered it under Kwong Kau's name. She later sought to sell the property.
During the prosecution's opening statement, Draycott emphasised the importance of the alleged financial dispute. 'I mentioned the money because it was, as we understand it, the root of what happened,' she told the court.
On 6 October 2026, Choi's mother, Cheung Yin-fa, testified about tensions between her daughter and her former in-laws regarding the property. She said Choi reported a threat from Kwong Kau during the dispute.
Cheung also recounted a September 2022 conversation when she contacted Kwong Kau about the property. According to her testimony, he threatened, 'If you dare, I'll kill your whole family'. She replied, 'Let the law decide; see you in court'.
The testimony offered personal context for the prosecution's proposed motive. However, the court has not established the alleged threat or the prosecution's account of the property dispute as facts.
Cheung also spoke about her daughter's generosity towards her former in-laws and the family's relationship before the alleged killing. 'My daughter was truly good, so filial and well-behaved,' she told the court. 'She trusted the wrong people. This family repaid kindness with enmity.'
Charges and Guilty Pleas
Alex Kwong, Kwong Kau and Anthony Kwong are standing trial in Hong Kong's High Court, each facing one count of murder and one count of preventing the lawful burial of a body. All three pleaded not guilty to murder.
Alex and Anthony Kwong admitted to preventing the lawful burial of Choi's body, while Kwong Kau denied this charge. The trial began in September 2026 and is expected to last several weeks. If convicted of murder, the defendants will face life imprisonment.
Choi's former mother-in-law, Jenny Li Shui-heung, was sentenced separately in 2025 to 18 months in prison for perverting the course of justice. Her case is separate from the current murder trial.
The court is currently reviewing evidence related to the alleged killing, the handling of her remains, and the roles assigned to the three defendants.
Choi's Life and Fashion Career
Before her death at 28, Choi built a career as a model, influencer, and frequent participant in international fashion events. She attended Paris Fashion Week and appeared in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and L'Officiel Monaco.
Choi shared images of fashion shoots, designer outfits, and public appearances on Instagram, where she gained a substantial following. Shortly before her death, L'Officiel Monaco featured her on its cover.
Her photographs document her public life and fashion career prior to the criminal investigation into her death. She had four children: two with Alex Kwong and two with her partner, Chris Tam Fong-chun.
