Swiss authorities have formally charged a man, identified only as Thomas due to privacy laws, with the murder of his wife, Kristina Joksimovic, 38, a former Miss Switzerland finalist.
Joksimovic’s dismembered body was discovered in February 2024 at their home in Binningen, near Basel. Swiss officials say Thomas allegedly admitted to strangling her before dismembering her body.
“The former beauty queen was found dismembered in her home,” the Basel-Landschaft Public Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday after concluding its investigation. Thomas, 43, now faces murder charges. A trial date has not yet been set.
Horrific Details of the Alleged Crime
Court documents obtained by the Daily Mail and a grisly autopsy report reveal that Joksimovic’s body was cut apart with a jigsaw, knife, and garden shears.
According to the autopsy, Thomas allegedly removed her womb, the only organ taken from her torso. Several body parts were reportedly chopped with an industrial blender, “pureed,” and dissolved in a chemical solution.
Investigators alleged that Thomas was watching YouTube videos on his phone while carrying out the alleged dismemberment.
Kristina Joksimovic, 38, was allegedly dismembered and 'pureed' by her husband. Credit: Kristina Joksimovic/Instagram.
“The autopsy revealed that Thomas had removed Joksimovic’s womb and used a blender to chop and dissolve several body parts,” Swiss officials said.
Joksimovic’s father reportedly discovered her remains when he noticed her blond hair sticking out of a black bag in the laundry room. A family friend told the Daily Mail, “Her father was horrified to find her body in that condition.” Investigators recovered the blender, body fragments, including flaps of skin with muscles attached, and chunks of bone.
Sequence of Dismemberment
The autopsy details a chilling sequence: Thomas allegedly snapped her hip joints out of their sockets, removed her upper left arm, forearms, and right lower leg, and severed her spine to decapitate her.
Authorities note that the level of violence and precision showed “a remarkably high level of criminal energy, lack of empathy, and cold-bloodedness” after the alleged killing, per the New York Post.
Husband’s Confession and Self-Defense Claim
Thomas reportedly confessed in March that he killed his wife but claimed it was in self-defense after she allegedly attacked him with a knife.
Initially, he told authorities that he came home to find her dead and mutilated. Medical experts, however, found no evidence of self-defense, identifying strangulation as the cause of death.
“This incident demonstrates an alarming lack of empathy and cold-bloodedness on the part of the suspect,” police stated in court documents obtained by local outlet Blick.
Joksimovic was crowned Miss Northwest Switzerland and was a finalist for Miss Switzerland in 2007. She later established herself as a catwalk coach, mentoring aspiring models, including Dominique Rinderknecht for the Miss Universe pageant in 2013.
She shared two children with her husband.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
The Basel-Landschaft Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged Thomas with murder, and the investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not yet set a trial date, citing the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
“This conduct constitutes a serious violation, and Swiss authorities are pursuing all necessary legal avenues,” the prosecutor’s office said.