Swiss authorities have formally charged the husband of former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic with her murder, months after her dismembered remains were recovered from the couple’s home earlier this year. The 38-year-old model and coach, who was crowned Miss Northwest Switzerland and reached the Miss Switzerland finals in 2007, was found dead in February 2024 at her residence in Binningen.
Prosecutors said her husband, identified only as Thomas, 43, under Switzerland’s privacy laws, is accused of strangling Joksimovic before cutting up her body and attempting to dispose of the remains inside their home. According to autopsy findings and court documents, the accused allegedly used tools including a jigsaw knife and garden shears. Parts of the body were later processed using an industrial blender, and investigators said some remains appeared to have been “pureed” and dissolved in a chemical mixture, the New York Post reported.
Police later recovered the blender along with skin tissue and bone fragments, as reported by The Telegraph. Court filings also state that Thomas was watching YouTube videos on his phone while dismembering the body.
The forensic examination found extensive injuries, including snapped hip joints, severed limbs, a broken spine and decapitation. The only organ missing was the uterus, investigators said.
Joksimovic’s remains were first discovered by her father, who reportedly noticed strands of blonde hair protruding from a black bag in the laundry room, a friend told The New York Post.
Thomas initially told police that he had found his wife dead, but later admitted to killing her, claiming he acted in self-defence after she allegedly attacked him with a knife. Forensic experts, however, found no evidence supporting this version and concluded she died from strangulation.
Court documents describe the accused as having shown “a remarkably high level of criminal energy, lack of empathy and cold-bloodedness after killing his wife.” Authorities said the couple shared two daughters. Thomas has remained in custody since his arrest.
The Basel-Landschaft Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that he has now been charged with murder and disturbing the peace. A trial date is yet to be announced.
Joksimovic transitioned into a successful career as a model coach after her pageant stint and trained several notable names, including Dominique Rinderknecht ahead of Miss Universe 2013.