Rieben is due to appear in a Swiss court on Monday as the murder trial begins. (Image: undefined)
A former Miss Switzerland finalist was allegedly murdered by her husband, who prosecutors claim removed her womb and “pureed her limbs” in a blender after she requested a divorce.
The horrific incident allegedly occurred in February 2024, when Marc Rieben is accused of killing his wife, former beauty pageant contestant and catwalk coach Kristina Joksimovic, at their home overlooking the hills of Binningen near Basel.
Rieben is due to appear in a Swiss court on Monday as the murder trial begins.
The husband, who volunteered with a scout group, is accused of beating and strangling Joksimov, a mother of two, during a violent rage. Before the fatal assault, Rieben allegedly demanded full-time custody of their two children and refused any financial support to her during their separation talks.
During the incident, Rieben allegedly grabbed his wife by the throat and violently slammed her against a wall. He then seized a “ribbon-like object” and strangled her to death.
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The model’s body showed signs of blunt force trauma, and there were bruises on her legs and cuts on her face, according to the autopsy. Parts of her body had also been removed 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 dismembered his wife’s body using garden shears, a knife, and a jigsaw. Authorities have revealed that YouTube videos were reportedly playing throughout the harrowing ordeal.
Joksimovic’s dismembered remains were found by her father, who went looking for her after she failed to collect her daughter from kindergarten, sparking serious concern amongst her family.
The father turned up at Joksimovic’s home, where Rieben claimed to have no knowledge of her whereabouts. He invited the father in, spending hours in conversation with him and even cooking him dinner. Eventually, Rieben and Kristina’s mother spoke by telephone, giving the father the opportunity to search the property and make his way down to the basement.
Kristina Joksimovic, former beauty pageant queen and catwalk coach (Image: undefined)
There, in the chilling basement, he stumbled upon a black bin bag containing 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 disclosed.
He then fled the property in a state of panic until a neighbour alerted the police. According to the father, Rieben appeared utterly emotionless upon his arrest, claiming he had dismembered her in “self-defense.”
The killing is thought to have occurred against a backdrop of repeated abuse. Despite this, Joksimovic had portrayed the image of a happy couple on social media. In fact, just four weeks before her death, she shared photographs of a “couple’s getaway,”, featuring a lavish hotel overlooking Lake Lucerne and wintry landscapes.
Ahead of Rieben’s murder trial, several of Kristina’s closest friends have revealed more intimate details about their relationship.
Kristina Joksimovic (Image: undefined)
“‘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.
“He was really derogatory with her, with gestures, words and even his tone… he wanted Kristina to disappear,” the friend continued.
The former Miss Switzerland finalist also reportedly told friends that her relationship was deteriorating. She tried to persuade him to attend couple’s therapy, but he either left halfway through sessions, or simply refused to attend, friends revealed.
Kristina Joksimovic with her husband and two kids (Image: undefined)
Joksimovic even had to contact the police on one occasion, because Rieben was violent and threatening, they noted. One of her friends also claimed he “hates feminity”, after refusing to let their children wear “feminine clothing.”
The model’s parents have not issued any public statement regarding the murder, but they have reportedly undergone intensive psychiatric treatment after discovering their daughter’s lifeless body.
The high-profile murder trial is expected to last five-and-a-half days in Muttenz, Switzerland.
