Former Miss Switzerland Finalist Murdered and Dismembered; Husband Faces Murder Charges

The father of the model initially discovered her remains.

Swiss authorities announced Wednesday that the husband of a former Miss Switzerland finalist has been charged with her murder. Thomas, 43, identified under Swiss privacy laws, is accused of strangling his wife Kristina Joksimovic, 38, before dismembering her body and attempting to dispose of her remains in their Binningen home in February 2024.

According to autopsy reports and court documents, the model's body was dismembered using a jigsaw knife and garden shears. Investigators revealed that Thomas removed her womb, the only organ taken from her torso, before processing parts of her body with an industrial blender. Officials stated that some remains were "pureed" and dissolved in chemical solutions.

The Telegraph reported that police later recovered the blender along with skin flaps with attached muscle tissue and bone fragments.

Court documents indicate that Thomas was watching YouTube videos on his phone while dismembering his wife.

The autopsy further revealed that Thomas allegedly broke her hip joints, removed multiple limbs, severed her spine, and ultimately decapitated her.

According to a friend cited by The NY Post, the model's remains were initially discovered by her father who noticed blonde hair protruding from a black bag in the home's laundry room.

Thomas initially claimed he discovered his wife already dead, but in March admitted to killing her, claiming self-defense after she allegedly attacked him with a knife. Forensic experts found no evidence supporting this claim and concluded she was strangled.

In court documents, police stated that Thomas displayed a "remarkably high level of criminal energy, lack of empathy, and cold-bloodedness after killing his wife."

Authorities noted that the couple had two daughters, and the suspect remains in custody.

The Basel-Landschaft Public Prosecutor's Office has charged him with murder and disturbing the peace. A trial date has not yet been established.

Kristina Joksimovic was crowned Miss Northwest Switzerland and was a finalist for Miss Switzerland in 2007. She later became a catwalk coach and mentored several models, including Dominique Rinderknecht, prior to her appearance at Miss Universe 2013.