Swiss prosecutors have filed murder charges against a man accused of killing and dismembering his wife, former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic, in a crime that shocked the country.
Joksimovic, 38, was found mutilated inside the couple’s home in Binningen, near Basel, in February 2024. Her husband — identified only as Thomas under Swiss privacy rules — allegedly admitted to strangling her, but later tried to claim he acted in self-defense. Investigators said forensic findings contradicted his account.
According to case files, the victim’s body was cut apart using several tools, including a jigsaw and garden shears. Authorities said some remains were blended and mixed with chemicals in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Prosecutors also confirmed reports that Thomas watched online videos on his phone while dismembering her.
The victim’s father discovered the remains after noticing a bag with strands of blond hair in the laundry room.
Investigators described the killing as carried out with “extreme cruelty,” noting that the suspect removed multiple limbs and severed the spine before decapitating the victim. Her womb was also found to have been removed.
Thomas reportedly confessed to the killing in March 2024 after initially claiming he found his wife dead. Medical examiners determined she died from strangulation, with no signs supporting his self-defense narrative.
Joksimovic, a mother of two, previously held the title of Miss Northwest Switzerland and was a finalist for Miss Switzerland in 2007. She later worked as a runway coach and trained professional models.
A trial date has yet to be set.
