Property Dispute To Body Parts In Soup: 8 Facts About The Gruesome Murder Of Abby Choi
The police are currently searching for the rest of Abby Choi Tin-fung's remains.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 27 Feb 2023, 06:31 PM
Over the weekend, the murder of a high-profile personality in Hong Kong made headlines across the world for its gruesome end
28-year-old Abby Choi Tin-fung went missing on 21 February, and four days later, some of her body parts were found dismembered in two pots.
Police are currently looking for the rest of her remains.
1. Abby Choi Tin-fung was a socialite, model, and influencer
Abby Choi Tin-fung (蔡天鳳) was a socialite, model, and influencer with over 111,000 followers on Instagram.
According to Next Apple Taiwan, she was from a wealthy family who runs a successful construction business in mainland China.
She had two children with her former husband, Alex Kwong.
South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Choi did not register her marriage with her current husband, Tam Chuk Kwan, son of the founder of popular chain restaurant TamJai Yunnan Mixian.
They held a marriage ceremony in 2015, and have two children together.
2. She was murdered over an alleged property dispute
Choi was murdered over an alleged property dispute with Kwong's family.
An insider told SCMP that the family was unhappy with Choi's decision to sell a property in Kadoorie Hill, Ho Man Tin, which she bought in her ex-father-in-law's name.
China Press reported that Choi previously bought the four-bedroom property to take care of Kwong's family.
The property was said to be worth HKD67 million (about RM38 million), located in an upscale area where high-profile celebrities, such as Andy Lau and Kelly Chen, among others, also own estates there.
3. She was allegedly murdered by Kwong's family
Kwong's father, Kwong Kau, is said to be the mastermind behind the murder. He was a former police sergeant who left the force in 2005.
In February, Kau rented a house in Tai Po, about 20 minutes drive north from the disputed property. Choi's body parts were later found in that rented house.
She was reported missing last Tuesday, 21 February, when she was heading to pick up the daughter she had with Kwong.
The 28-year-old was picked up by Choi's ex-brother-in-law, who worked as her chauffeur. He drove to her home in Kadoorie Hill to meet her, but they did not pick up the daughter.
4. Police say it's a "premeditated" and "well-planned" murder
Choi's murder only came to light last Friday, 24 February, four days after she was reported missing.
Police said the murder was "premeditated" and "well-planned". The authorities found a meat grinder, electric saw, two types of meat cleavers, a hammer, face shields, and black raincoats at the Tai Po flat.
The suspects had covered the walls with a sail at the crime scene. Two female legs were found in a fridge at the flat. Choi's head, torso, and hands were still missing at the time of publication on Friday.
5. Choi's remains are believed to be found in soup
In a gruesome discovery on Sunday, 26 February, it is believed that Choi's body parts were kept in large soup pots, reported SCMP in a separate report.
The police made the discovery while conducting a search at a village house in Tai Po and a cemetery in Tseung Kwan O.
Two large soup pots were seized on Friday from the three-storey house at Lung Mei Tsuen. In one of them, forensic experts found a head and ribs.
The skull reportedly still had hair stuck to it, and the back of it had a hole measuring 6.5cm by 5.5cm.
Superintendent Alan Chung said the pot "was almost full and covered with thick fat, some green, and orange carrots", adding that the "meat was believed to be human flesh".
The smaller pot contained human bones. The police will run DNA tests and dental records to determine whether the remains were Choi's.
Police have deployed divers, drones, and dogs to find the rest of Choi's remains. It is suspected that her remains were thrown into a water catchment area at the Tseung Kwan O cemetery.
6. "If you dare to sell it, I will kill you!" Choi's former father-in-law allegedly threatened
Citing HK01, Kwong Wah Daily reported a close friend of Choi saying that Kau had once threatened to kill Choi.
"If you dare to sell it, I will kill you," the former policeman allegedly warned Choi.
He was said to have made the threat after learning Choi brought someone to view the multi-million dollar house.
The close friend claimed that Choi's attempt to sell the house was purely an investment move.
It is reported that Choi took care of Kwong's family even after the divorce. She was said to have given more than HKD10 million in financial assistance to the family over the years, but wanted to estrange the family last year.
She thought about selling the property and moving Kwong's family elsewhere, but a dispute allegedly broke out over the arrangement.
7. Choi's former husband tried to escape with HKD500,000
On Saturday, 25 February, Kwong was arrested at Tung Chung Development Pier, reported SCMP.
Police believe that he was trying to abscond from Hong Kong by sea when they intercepted his attempt to board a speedboat.
He was caught carrying HKD500,000 (about RM285,000) in cash and several luxury watches worth about HKD4 million (about RM2.2 million).
Meanwhile, Kwong's parents and brother Anthony have also been arrested.
CNA reported that the three men have been charged for murder, while the mother was charged with one count of obstructing the case. The four appeared in a Kowloon court today, 27 February.
8. Kwong's family members have a dark history
According to China Press, all four individuals charged in connection with the murder have a dark history.
65-year-old Kau was a recipient of the Hong Kong Police Long Service Award. In 2001, he was promoted to sergeant; four years later, he was promoted to detective sergeant.
While serving as a detective sergeant, he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman. He was detained for investigations, and was asked to resign from the post not long after.
As for Kwong, he was arrested in February 2015 in connection with an investment scam that targeted young male users of dating apps. He scammed four victims and embezzled about HKD5 million (about RM2.8 million) from them.
His 63-year-old mother was served with a bankrupt notice in 2016, while his brother was reportedly pursued by banks for defaulting payments.
