Authorities in Switzerland have arrested the husband of a former finalist for Miss Switzerland, alleging that he strangled her to death before dismembering her and blending her body parts.
Kristina Joksimovic was killed during the February of 2024, according to the BBC.
Police referred to the 38-year-old beauty queen by her initials in court documents, which further noted she was a finalist in the Miss Switzerland competition back in 2007. Swiss media has identified the husband — who is not named in the docs — as Thomas. Investigators, however, did reveal that the suspect is a 43-year-old male.
Thomas has been formally charged with his wife’s murder as well as disturbing the peace, prosecutors announced on Thursday, December 10.
Thomas had previously told investigators that when he returned to their Binningen home the night of the murder, he found Joksimovic already dead. But less than a month later, the husband was changing his tune, according to police. He allegedly later told detectives he had actually killed his wife in an act of self-defense.
But forensic experts later determined Joksimovic had been beheaded Joksimovic prior to her death, and that her remains showed no signs of a struggle, contradicting her husband’s account of the events.
Detectives started investigating Joksimovic’s death almost immediately after it happened, noting its suspicious nature, but her husband was not officially charged with the beauty queen’s murder until this month, according to prosecutors.
Through an autopsy, medical examiners were able to determine the husband allegedly dismembered Joksimovic using a jigsaw and garden shears.
The reports further claim police said that the victim’s womb had been “carefully removed” by Thomas as part of a “deliberate mutilation or ritualized degradation of the body.”
The husband allegedly proceeded to slice up her body parts and then used an industrial grade blender to liquefy her remains.
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Local reports described the body as having been “puréed.” The husband also allegedly added a chemical dissolvent to help break down his wife’s body.
As he cut up her remains, the husband allegedly watched videos on YouTube.
Joksimovic and Thomas have two young children together.
Us Weekly was unable to determine if the husband has been asked to enter pleas to the two charges filed against him. It was also unclear if he had hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Local media is reporting Joksimovic’s own father found her remains, after noticing strands of blonde hair sticking out of a black bag.
The husband will remain in custody until his next court date, which has not been set yet.
According to her Instagram profile, Joksimovic primarily worked as a modeling coach. Her page features instructional videos on mastering the catwalk as well as footage of her working with her clients on their walks.
If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, you are encouraged to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and kept confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
