Hong Kong Model Abby Choi's Skull Was Found in Carrot Soup, Court Hears as Ex-Husband Denies Murder

The murder trial of Hong Kong model and socialite Abby Choi has revealed disturbing new details about the discovery of her remains, including the prosecution's account that her skull was found inside a cooking pot containing carrot and vegetable soup.

Choi, a 28-year-old fashion model and social media influencer, disappeared in February 2023. Parts of her dismembered body were discovered days later at a rented village house in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. More than three years after her death, her former husband and two of his relatives are facing trial over the alleged killing. All three deny murder.

Court Evidence Details Discovery of Choi's Remains

The court heard that police discovered Choi's remains during a search of the village property on 24 February 2023. According to evidence presented during the trial, her legs were found inside a refrigerator, while her skull, ribs and other remains were recovered from cooking pots containing soup and vegetables, including carrots. Human tissue, hair and bones were also among the remains described in court.

Investigators discovered equipment at the property, including an electric saw and a meat slicer. The prosecution alleges that the house had been used to dismember and dispose of Choi's body. The grim discoveries shocked Hong Kong and attracted international attention because of Choi's prominence in fashion and social circles.

Ex-Husband and Two Relatives Face Murder Charges

Choi's former husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, is standing trial alongside his elder brother, Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, and their father, Kwong Kau. Prosecutors allege that the three men participated in a planned killing and the subsequent disposal of Choi's remains. The defendants have denied murdering her.

Alex Kwong and Anthony Kwong have pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of Choi's body. Their father has denied that charge as well as the murder allegation against him. The murder proceedings are being heard by a nine-member jury at Hong Kong's High Court, with the trial expected to last several weeks.

Alleged Financial Dispute as Motive

The prosecution has linked the alleged murder to a dispute involving a luxury apartment worth approximately HK$72 million, or around £7 million. According to the prosecution's opening account, Choi had allowed her former father-in-law to live in the property. Tensions allegedly intensified after she decided to sell it and make different arrangements for her family.

Prosecutors claim Kwong Kau became extremely angry about the proposed sale and enlisted his sons in a plan to kill Choi. These claims form part of the prosecution's case and have not yet been established as proven facts. The court has also heard that Choi continued to provide financial assistance to members of her former husband's family after their marriage ended.

Evidence Suggests the Alleged Crime Was Planned

Prosecutors told the court that the defendants purchased items including a hammer, an electric saw, a meat mincer, a refrigerator and a large cooking pot in the weeks before Choi disappeared. The purchases are being presented as evidence of alleged premeditation for the killing and the disposal of her remains.

The prosecution also described CCTV footage that it says shows activity involving the defendants and large containers at the property. Investigators have relied on physical evidence, surveillance footage and witness accounts to reconstruct the events surrounding Choi's disappearance. However, the evidence must be considered as part of the ongoing trial, and the murder allegations remain contested.

A Case That Continues To Shock Hong Kong

Before her death, Choi was known for attending international fashion events and sharing photographs from modelling shoots and luxury-brand appearances. She had also appeared on the digital cover of L'Officiel Monaco shortly before she went missing.

Her death prompted widespread public grief and renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding her relationship with her former husband's family. The latest testimony has brought renewed focus to the case, particularly the disturbing details surrounding the recovery of her remains and the prosecution's allegations of premeditation.

As the trial continues, the court will examine the evidence against the three defendants before determining whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.