Police look for evidence for slain Hong Kong model’s case

Hong Kong police are searching a landfill for evidence related to the killing of a model

Hong Kong police began searching a landfill Tuesday to look for evidence related to the killing of model Abby Choi. The 28-year-old model's case has gained wide interest for its grisly nature after dismembered body parts were found in a refrigerator.

Ex-husband Alex Kwong, his father Kwong Kau and his brother Anthony Kwong were charged with murder after police found body parts in a refrigerator and pots from a house rented by Kwong Kau in a suburban part of Hong Kong about a 30-minute drive from mainland China. Alex Kwong’s mother, Jenny Li, faces one count of perverting the course of justice. All four were detained without bail.

The defendants have not yet entered their pleas, and it does not appear that their lawyers have commented on the case to the media. The case was adjourned until May.

On Tuesday morning, officers wearing protective gear went to North East New Territories Landfill in Ta Kwu Ling, about a 15-minute drive from mainland China, to search for the missing body parts. Police had said earlier they were still locating her hands and torso.

Alex Kwong appeared in another court Tuesday for a previous theft case, where he jumped bail.

With more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, Choi disappeared Feb. 21, according to a report filed later with the Hong Kong Police. Her last post was Feb. 19, featuring a photo shoot she had done with fashion magazine L’Officiel Monaco.

Choi had financial disputes involving tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars (millions of dollars) with her ex-husband and his family, police said earlier, adding that “some people” were unhappy with how Choi handled her finances.

The gruesome killing has particularly transfixed many in Hong Kong and across the border in mainland China, since the the self-governed southern Chinese city has a very low level of violent crime.

Choi's friend Bernard Cheng said he initially thought she had been kidnapped.

“I haven't imagined a person who's so good, so full of love, so innocent, a person who doesn't do anything bad will be killed like this,” he said. “My heart is still heavy. I can't sleep well.”

Cheng said Choi had four children, aged between 3 and 10. Alex Kwong, 28, was the father of the older two, who are being taken care of by Choi's mother. Choi had remarried to Chris Tam, father of the younger children, who are staying with his family.

Choi had good relationships with her family, including her in-laws, Cheng said, and would travel with the families of her current and former husbands together.

While violent crime is rare in Hong Kong, the case recalls a handful of other shocking killings. In 2013, a man killed his parents and their heads were later found in refrigerators. In another infamous 1999 case, a woman was kidnapped and tortured by three members of an organized crime group before her death. Her skull was later found stuffed in a Hello Kitty doll.