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A Hong Kong model’s head was allegedly found in a pot of soup, with cops saying the grisly discovery was tied to a financial dispute involving the sale of a luxury apartment.
Hong Kong police allege that Abby Choi’s ex-husband, Alex Kwong, his father Kau Kwong, and brother Anthony Kwong, all had a hand in the murder of the woman in February 2023.
Choi was a model and influencer who had more than 142,000 followers on Instagram . In the days before her death, Choi had shared photos of herself attending Paris Fashion Week, per AFP.
Body parts found in pot, fridge
Police say that Choi’s head was found in a pot of carrot and vegetable soup, and her legs found in a fridge, at a house in a northern village in Hong Kong.
The 28-year-old mother of four came from a wealthy family from mainland China, CNN reported.
The court case began Sept. 21 and is expected to last approximately 40 days. A nine-person jury panel will determine whether the defendants are guilty or not.
The trouble began several years after Choi and Kwong married in 2014 when she was 18 years old.
After the marriage, police alleged Choi bought an expensive apartment for Kwong’s parents to live in.
Her in-laws moved in and helped look after the couple’s two children. After the couple split up, she allowed her former in-laws to stay in the apartment.
The relationship allegedly deteriorated in 2022 when Choi wanted to sell the luxury digs. Kau Kwong reportedly rejected Choi’s wish to sell the house.
The ex-father-in-law eventually agreed to sign a document to let Choi proceed with the sale, but the prosecution alleged that he could move back in if Choi died.
A plan to kill
The prosecution claimed that Kau Kwong rented an apartment in a village house and plotted with his two sons to kill Choi.
They alleged that money was a motivator as Choi was wealthy and the Kwongs were not.
“We say the three of them decided they would do it together,” prosecution lawyer Charlotte Draycott said to court reporters, per Associated Press.
Her ex-husband and the two other defendants were accused of killing Choi. They face life imprisonment if convicted of murder.
The trio were also charged with preventing the lawful burial of a body.
Judge Brian Keith told the jury that the trio of defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Kau Kwong also pleaded not guilty to the other charge, but his sons admitted to it.
ganderson@postmedia.com