How a chance meeting and chat over beer led to arrest of Hong Kong murder suspect
- Lamma Island resident recounts striking up conversations with 31-year-old man, who is expected to be charged on Friday over fatal slashing of taxi driver
- She called police after checking photos released to aid citywide manhunt and kept him talking until officers arrived
A Lamma Island resident has described how she offered a beer to a “very gentle” murder suspect sitting outside a shop and kept him busy with small talk for 45 minutes until the Hong Kong police officers she had alerted arrived to handcuff him.
The woman, who identified herself only as Tracy, told the Post she had several conversations with Matthew Choi throughout Wednesday after first seeing him drinking alone outside the store. When they first struck up a chat, she had no idea he was the 31-year-old suspect wanted in a citywide manhunt in connection with the fatal slashing of a taxi driver the day before.
“We just had a nice chat, a great conversation … he was very sweet, very gentle,” Tracy said, adding that at the time she thought he was just visiting the easy-going island.
Choi was arrested at about 8pm on Wednesday and transported to Hong Kong Island, where he remained in custody. Police are expected to charge him on Friday, with a court appearance the next day, the Post has learned.
A force insider said Choi had thus far maintained his innocence.
