Suspects bought meat grinder and saw it before murder of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi, court hears

Hong Kong —

Days before Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi was murdered, her father-in-law and brother-in-law reportedly embarked on a sinister shopping trip.

An electric saw, a meat grinder and a refrigerator were among the items they purchased in preparation for the murder and disposal of the mother of four, prosecutors told a Hong Kong court on Friday.

The gruesome 2023 murder of Choi, who rubbed shoulders with showbiz elites at fashion events and enjoyed a large online following, sent shockwaves through the wealthy financial hub and made global headlines.

Only parts of Choi’s body were found, furthering the mystery surrounding the violent death of the prominent young socialite.

Her ex-husband Alex Kwong, her brother Anthony Kwong and their father Kwong Kau pleaded not guilty to her murder in a trial that sheds new light on Choi’s final moments.

Lead prosecutor Charlotte Draycott told jurors Friday that the model and influencer was hit repeatedly in the head with a hammer inside a car driven by her former brother-in-law, with her ex-husband also inside.

She was going to pick up her daughter from school.

About two weeks before Choi’s death, Kwong Kau and his son Anthony Kwong, who also worked as Choi’s driver, were seen visiting several stores and purchasing a range of items directly related to the murder, Draycott told the court.

The items included an electric saw, a meat grinder as well as boxes and a refrigerator, as well as a large cutting board, a giant saucepan and air freshener products. Parts of Choi’s body were later found inside the refrigerator, Draycott said.

A hammer purchased by Anthony Kwong is believed to be the murder weapon, Draycott said, while Choi’s ex-husband borrowed the vehicle where the murder allegedly took place from a friend, according to prosecutors.

“That’s why we say this is a carefully considered plan, because each person played their part in preparing the premises,” Draycott told the court.

On February 21, 2023, Choi was scheduled to pick up her daughter from school.

Shortly before the planned school run, Anthony and Alex met at a Starbucks, where CCTV captured Anthony making a series of gestures that Draycott said could have foreshadowed the attack.

Footage shows him appearing to hold something with both hands before moving his right arm up and down, the prosecutor said.

“You can interpret that (Anthony) was telling (Alex) how he could put Abby’s head down,” she told jurors as they viewed the CCTV footage.

She added that Anthony then came to pick up Choi, while Alex met the vehicle at another location. During the trip, Choi exchanged text messages with her mother-in-law. The messages stopped at 2:44 p.m.

Draycott said Choi was then attacked with the hammer inside the vehicle. Jurors saw the alleged weapon, as well as autopsy photographs documenting Choi’s injuries.

“The blows were violent,” she told the court.

The white vehicle carrying Choi, according to Draycott, stopped in front of a house in a rural area of ​​Hong Kong, near the border with mainland China. She said Choi’s blood was found in the vehicle with Alex and Anthony. Kwong’s DNA.

Kwong Kau is said to have made arrangements to rent the property.

“They weren’t worried. They weren’t upset. This is what they expected,” the prosecutor said, showing images of Kwong Kau wearing a surgical mask near the vehicle.

Later that day, a neighbor reported electric saw noises and an odor, Draycott said, adding that all of the items purchased by the father-in-law and brother-in-law were eventually found in the village home.

Anthony Kwong and Kwong Kau were arrested a few days later, while Alex was later arrested at the ferry pier just before attempting to flee Hong Kong, Draycott said.

The trial continues Friday afternoon and is expected to last eight weeks.