The horrific incident occurred in February 2024, when Marc Rieben allegedly murdered his wife and former beauty pageant contestant and catwalk coach, Kristina Joksimovic in their home overlooking the hills of Binningen, near Basel -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited
(Reach Publishing Services Limited)
A former Miss Switzerland finalist is alleged to have been killed by her husband, who prosecutors say carved out her womb and “pureed her limbs” in a blender after she asked for a divorce.
The horrific incident is alleged to have occurred in February 2024, when Marc Rieben is accused of murdering his wife, former beauty pageant contestant and catwalk coach Kristina Joksimovic, at their home overlooking the hills of Binningen near Basel.
Rieben is set to appear in a Swiss court on Monday as the murder trial begins.
• Teen forced to take haunting final photo before ‘Truck Stop Killer’ murdered her
• Smartwatch saves strangled woman by auto-dialing police, court hears
The husband, who volunteered with a scout group, is accused of beating and strangling Joksimov, who was a mother of two, in a violent rage. Before the fatal outburst, Rieben allegedly demanded full-time custody of their two children and denied any financial support to her during their separation talks.
During the incident, Rieben allegedly grabbed his wife by the throat and forcefully pressed her against a wall. He then grabbed a “ribbon-like object” and strangled her to death.
The husband, who volunteered with a scout group, is accused of beating and strangling Joksimov, who was a mother of two, in a violent rage
The model’s body showed signs of blunt force trauma, and there were bruises to her legs and cuts to her face, according to the autopsy. Some of her body had also been torn out and “pureed” in an industrial blender.
The incident was described as a “deliberate mutilation or ritualized degradation of the body,” according to investigators.
Rieben allegedly used garden shears, a knife, and a jigsaw to dismember his wife’s body. According to authorities, YouTube videos were playing while the chilling incident was taking place.
Joksimovic’s dismembered body was found by her father, who went looking for her after she did not show up to pick up her daughter from kindergarten, which raised concerns from her parents.
The father rushed to Joksimovic’s home, where Rieben claimed he did not know where she was. He invited the father into the home, talking to him for hours and cooking him dinner. Eventually, Rieben and Kristina’s mother spoke on the phone, which allowed the father to sneak around the house and into the basement.
Joksimovic’s dismembered body was found by her father, who went looking for her after she did not show up to pick up her daughter from kindergarten, which raised concerns from her parents
In the creepy basement, he found a black bin bag with strands of blonde hair. “When he opened the black bin bag, he saw her cut off head with the hair still attached,” a family friend said.
He then ran out of the house, screaming until a neighbor called the police. According to the father, Rieben seemed indifferent when he was arrested, claiming he dismembered her out of “self-defense.”
The murder is said to have occurred against the backdrop of several episodes of abuse. Nevertheless, on social media, Joksimovic painted a picture of a happy couple. For instance, just four weeks before her death, she shared images of a “couple’s getaway,” featuring a luxurious hotel above Lake Lucerne and snowy landscapes.
Ahead of Rieben’s murder trial, some of Kristina’s closest friends have revealed more intimate details about their relationship.
“‘She was really in love at the beginning, but I was a bit surprised when she got into a relationship with him as he didn’t suit her at all,” one told the Daily Mail. “He came across as really introverted, very critical and sometimes quite arrogant.
Ahead of Rieben’s murder trial, some of Kristina’s closest friends have revealed more intimate details about their relationship
“He was really derogatory with her, with gestures, words and even his tone… he wanted Kristina to disappear,” the friend added.
The former Miss Switzerland finalist also reportedly told friends that her relationship was going badly. She tried to convince him to go to couple’s therapy, but he either left halfway through sessions, or simply refused to turn up, friends said.
Joksimovic even had to call the police on one occasion, because Rieben was violent and threatening, they added. One of her friends also said he “hates feminity”, after refusing to let their kids wear “feminine clothing.”
The model’s parents have not publicly commented on the murder, but they have reportedly received intense psychiatric help after finding their daughter’s dead body.
The high-profile murder trial is expected to last five-and-a-half days in Muttenz, Switzerland.