WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT The body of Kristina Joksimovic, 38, was tragically discovered in Switzerland as her husband was arrested the next day after her remains were found by a “third party”
A former Miss Switzerland finalist was strangled and dismembered by her husband in the laundry room before being “puréed” in a blender, a court has heard.
The body of 38-year-old Kristina Joksimovic was tragically discovered in February in Binningen, near Basel, Switzerland.
Her 41-year-old husband, known only by the pseudonym Thomas in local media, was arrested the day after her body was discovered by a “third party”. Investigators determined that she had been strangled before her death.
The suspect’s application for release was rejected today by the Federal Court in Lausanne, but he reportedly admitted to killing her in “self-defence” after she allegedly attacked him with a knife. However, medical forensic reports contradict his claim that he acted in self-defense.
He is said to have confessed to dismembering the former model with two children “in a panic,” according to local reports. Christina’s autopsy concluded that her body was brutally dismembered in the laundry room using a jigsaw, knife and pruning shears.
According to local magazine Blick, the body parts were allegedly chopped up with a hand blender, “puréed” and dissolved in a chemical solution.
According to investigations so far, the suspect displayed “remarkable criminal energy, lack of empathy and cold-bloodedness” in his attempt to cover up the alleged murder after killing his wife.
Cristiana’s friends expressed their regret over the murder allegations. When the news broke, one friend told Blick that “they seemed to me the perfect family,” while another claimed the two had been “in crisis for months.”
Cristiana, from Binningen with Serbian roots, won the Miss Northwest Switzerland beauty pageant in 2003 and was a finalist in the 2008 Miss Switzerland election. She then coached Miss Switzerland candidates to follow in her footsteps and also set up a coaching and consulting company for aspiring models.
Lorena Santen, who was crowned Miss Switzerland 2023 and was one of Cristiana’s catwalk students, said she will be “very much missed.” “It’s a total shock,” former Miss Switzerland Christa Ligozzi told 20 Minutes in February. I think of her two daughters. She was a very beautiful and kind-hearted woman.”
“What happened is very, very sad and shocking. I feel so sorry for the children,” Swiss model and former Miss Switzerland Dominique Rinderknecht told Now.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk.