Hong Kong prosecutors opening the high-profile murder trial of Abby Choi’s former husband and his family detailed a meticulously planned attack involving an electric saw, a meat mincer, and a hammer blow during a staged school pick-up in February 2023.
The trial opened at Hong Kong’s High Court, where three defendants—Alex Kwong, his brother Anthony Kwong, and their father Kwong Kau—each pleaded not guilty to murder (according to The Independent). Prosecutor Charlotte Draycott told the jury that a bitter dispute over a luxury apartment set in motion a calculated plot to kill the 28-year-old model and socialite.
In February 2023, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, his father Kwong Kau, and his older brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit were accused of carrying out the killing of the 28-year-old. The 28-year-old mother of four went missing February 21, 2023, days after she returned from Paris Fashion Week. The affluent financial hub was shaken to its core by the brutal slaying of Choi—who maintained a massive internet following and mingled with entertainment elites at fashion functions—drawing international media attention. Only parts of Choi’s body were recovered, deepening the mystery surrounding the violent death of the prominent young socialite in a city where violent crime is relatively rare.
Dispute over Luxury Kadooria Property Fuels Prosecution Case
At the center of the prosecution’s case is a luxury property at the Kadooria residential estate in Ho Man Tin. Her former father-in-law lived in the apartment and received funds from Choi. The property was valued at HK$72 million.
The prosecution stated that Choi and her ex-husband came from very different financial backgrounds, noting that Choi was born to a wealthy family in Hainan, China, and married Alex Kwong when she was only 18 because she had become pregnant. Throughout their time together as spouses, Alex Kwong failed to secure consistent employment, and his relatives lacked financial security, depending entirely on Choi’s family for economic assistance.
Tensions boiled over in 2022 when Choi decided to sell the flat and relocate the family so her children could be cared for by their paternal grandparents close to Choi’s home in Kowloon Tong (noted by Us Weekly). Kwong Kau resisted the move, leading to heated confrontations.
“A huge amount of money was spent on that flat, and it was spent for them. To be honest, for the sake of my children, for the sake of my two children and my good heart, that’s why she can lead such a good life, right?”
Abby Choi, via private audio messages played in court
Private audio messages played in court revealed Choi calling Kwong Kau a “crookand his wife a
ghost,” while expressing worry that the Kwongs would turn her children against her.
Shopping Spree and the Execution of the Plan
Weeks before the killing, the father-in-law and brother-in-law went on what prosecutors described as an ominous shopping preparation trip (covered by CNN). They purchased an electric saw, a meat mincer, a refrigerator, a large chopping board, a giant saucepan, and deodorizing supplies. Anthony Kwong also bought a hammer, which is believed to be the murder weapon.
On February 21, 2023, Choi set out to pick up her daughter from school (noted by the Los Angeles Times). CCTV footage captured Anthony and Alex, where Anthony made physical gestures indicating how an attacker could pull a victim’s head down. Anthony then picked up Choi in a vehicle, and Alex joined along the route.
During the journey, Choi exchanged text messages with her mother-in-law, which stopped at 2:44 p.m. Inside the vehicle, Choi was struck on the head with the hammer. Prosecutors presented evidence and the alleged weapon to jurors, stating that the pathologist believed a hole on the right-side rear of the skull represented the fatal attack on the victim.
Discovery at the Tai Po Village House
Three days after she was reported missing, authorities discovered parts of her dismembered body at the property. Police found a meat slicer, an electric saw, and clothing at the property.
Defendants Deny Murder Charge Before Nine-Person Jury
The trial before a nine-person jury opened after a brief delay when Deputy Judge Brian Keith dissolved the original panel because a juror resigned for health reasons (reported Maeil Business Newspaper). All three defendants deny the murder charge and face life imprisonment if convicted. While Alex and Anthony Kwong admitted to a secondary charge of preventing the lawful burial of a body, Kwong Kau pleaded not guilty to that charge as well (). The proceedings are expected to last approximately eight weeks.
An overflow crowd assembled outside the hall for the hearings, while a video feed was set up to accommodate those unable to gain admission. The three defendants appeared calm in court, with Kwong Kau wearing a white T-shirt and his sons wearing suits and masks.
