Ex-husband, in-laws accused of murdering Hong Kong model appear in court

The ex-husband and in-laws of Hong Kong model and influencer Abby Choi accused of murdering her appeared before court on Wednesday, in a gruesome case that has sent shockwaves through the city.

Police discovered parts of 28-year-old Choi's dismembered body at a house in suburban Hong Kong in 2023.

An influencer with over 140,000 followers on Instagram, Choi had shared photos of her attending Paris Fashion Week just days before her death.

Her death was widely reported in the city, where violent crime is rare.

Alex Kwong, his father Kwong Kau and brother Anthony Kwong pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, judge Brian Keith told a nine-person jury on Wednesday.

The three defendants, who face life in prison if found guilty, appeared calm as they attended the hearing.

They are also accused of preventing the lawful burial of a body, with two of them, Alex and Anthony Kwong, pleading guilty.

Choi had two children with Alex Kwong, but later divorced him and married Chris Tam, with whom she had two more children.

Prosecutors told the court on Wednesday that Choi and her ex-husband's family had financial disputes over a luxury property she had bought for them.

The trial, which adjourned until Friday, is expected to last until December.