The husband of a former Miss Switzerland finalist has been charged with murdering his wife in a case that has horrified Switzerland and drawn international attention. Prosecutors allege he dismembered her body while watching YouTube videos, nearly two years after her death first came to light.
Kristina Joksimovic, 38, a mother of two and a past contestant in the Miss Switzerland competition, was found dead at her home in Binningen near Basel in February of last year. The autopsy revealed she had been strangled and decapitated before her body was dismembered. Her husband, identified only as Thomas, 43, was formally charged this week after being initially arrested following the disturbing discovery.
According to charging documents reported by the Daily Mail, Thomas removed one organ from Joksimovic’s body and processed other remains using a high-powered blender. The report states that tools, including a jigsaw blade and garden shears, were used during the dismemberment, and that her womb had been “carefully removed.” A Swiss court later heard that the act appeared to be “deliberate mutilation or ritualised degradation of the body,” raising concerns about the husband’s mental state.
Investigators believe Thomas dissolved parts of her remains using chemicals and allegedly played YouTube videos on his phone as he continued cutting. The autopsy found a “reddish throttle mark” on Joksimovic’s neck consistent with strangulation.
The victim’s father discovered her remains in the family’s laundry room after noticing strands of blonde hair sticking out of a black bag. Police arrested Thomas the next day. Local outlet BZ Bazel reported that he initially claimed he had found his wife dead and panicked. But the autopsy findings showed a methodical effort to disarticulate her body, beginning with her joints and continuing through her limbs and torso.
Forensic investigators reported finding numerous skin sections and muscle pieces, some still attached to bone. They described the remains as being in an almost unrecognizable state due to the extent of mutilation.
Thomas later allegedly admitted to killing Joksimovic in March, claiming he acted in self-protection because she had attacked him with a knife. However, medical experts found no evidence supporting self-defence. The official finding of strangulation as the cause of death contradicted his attempts to explain his actions.
The couple shared two young daughters. As the case moves forward, Swiss authorities say the investigation into Thomas’s mental state, motive, and actions continues, with court proceedings expected to draw significant public interest.
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