HONG KONG — Hong Kong police said on Sunday (Feb 26) they had charged three people in connection with the murder of 28-year-old model Abby Choi, whose legs were found in a refrigerator in a house on the city's outskirts along with tools used for dismembering bodies.

Police found portions of Choi's body on Friday but have yet to locate her head, torso and hands. They also found a meat slicer and an electric saw at the scene in the financial hub's rural Tai Po district, according to a police statement.

The gruesome murder of local influencer Choi, who recently appeared on the digital cover of L'Officiel Monaco fashion magazine, has gripped local tabloids as authorities search for the remaining parts of her body, including with drones and an abseiling team.

Police statements said that four people have been arrested and three charged in the case, but did not identify them by name. Those charged are set to appear in a local court on Monday.

Local broadcaster TVB, citing police, said Choi's ex-husband Alex Kwong was arrested on Saturday but had not yet been charged, while her former father-in-law and his brother had been charged with murder. 
Choi's former mother-in-law was also arrested and charged with obstructing the case, it said.

Reuters could not immediately determine whether those in custody had legal representation.

Choi disappeared on Tuesday and was last seen in the Tai Po district, police said.

"Two pots of stew believed to contain human tissue" were left at the scene, superintendent Alan Chung told reporters.

Choi's ex-husband was arrested as he was attempting to flee the city by boat, Chung said.

"We believe the victim and her ex-husband's family had many financial disputes involving huge sums," Chung said.

"Someone was dissatisfied with how the victim handled her assets, which became a motive to kill."

Police said the family had earlier lied to mislead investigators.

The village house had been recently rented and was unfurnished, suggesting it was set up to dispose of Choi's body, he added.

Around a hundred police officers were on Saturday combing a cemetery suspected to be the dumping ground for some of Choi's remains, Chung said. AGENCIES