A fresh update has emerged in the death case of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi more than three and a half years after she was allegedly killed and parts of her dismembered body were discovered at a house. The former husband and in-laws of Choi, who was 28 years old at the time of her death, went on trial on Monday (September 21, 2026) in connection with her murder, which sent shockwaves across Hong Kong.
Choi's ex-husband Alex Kwong, his father Kwong Kau, and his brother Anthony Kwong were accused of killing Choi in February 2023, according to news agency AP. If convicted of murder, they will face life imprisonment. They were also charged with preventing the lawful burial of a body. Choi’s Instagram showed that the socialite lived a glamorous life, regularly sharing photos from fashion shows and photo shoots. Days before she was allegedly killed, Choi posted about attending a Dior show at Paris Fashion Week.
Ahead of the start of the hearing, dozens of people were seen waiting outside the courtroom, and a live broadcast was arranged for people to watch outside, AP reported. All three defendants wore masks and appeared calm in court. Kwong Kau was in a white T-shirt, while his sons wore suits. In 2023, police said that they found some body parts inside the unit at a village in Tai Po, a suburban district in Hong Kong. Officers later searched a landfill for evidence.
Who was Abby Choi ?
Choi was the daughter of a wealthy family running a construction business with dealings in China, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported, citing Hong Kong media reports. She reportedly had a personal net worth of more than HK$100 million (S$17.2 million).
She had also appeared on the cover of the fashion and luxury lifestyle magazine L’Officiel Monaco in January 2023, where she was described as a “style icon and media personality who took the world by storm with her impeccable sense of style and her unbridled passion for fashion,” as quoted by CNA.
The magazine further stated that she “carved a name out for herself as one of the most sought-after influencers in the industry." It also praised her “keen eye for style and her ability to mix and match pieces in unexpected ways," calling her a “true trendsetter."
The 28-year-old had also been featured in publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle and has taken part in Paris Fashion Week.
Two marriages, four children
Choi was reportedly married twice. Her friend Bernard Cheng Hei-chung told The Standard, an English-language newspaper in Hong Kong, that she married her first husband at the age of 18 and had two children with him. She also had a close relationship with her in-laws, as reported by CNA.
She reportedly continued extending support to her ex-husband’s family even after they divorced, making arrangements for them to live in a luxury apartment and helping her former brother-in-law to buy a home. She also reportedly employed her former brother-in-law as her chauffeur. He allegedly fetched her on the day she went missing to pick up her daughter.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), one of Choi’s friends said that Choi had never said a bad word about her former in-laws. “She took great care of everyone, including her husband’s family,” said a friend of Choi, who identified herself as Mrs. Cheng. Choi had two children with Alex Kwong. She remarried after their divorce and had two younger children with her second husband. The prosecution is expected to open its case at a later date. The jury trial is expected to last 45 days.
