Prosecutors in Switzerland have rejected a self-defence claim made by a man accused of murdering his wife, a former Miss Switzerland finalist. Kristina Joksimovic, 38, was found dead at her home near Basel in February, with an autopsy revealing she was strangled, dismembered, and parts of her body were pureed with a blender.
Local media reported that the body was dismembered in the laundry room using a jigsaw, knife, and secateurs. Some body parts were then pureed with a hand blender and dissolved in a chemical solution. The accused, Thomas, 41, claimed he acted in self-defence after his wife attacked him with a knife, but prosecutors argue he showed 'a lack of empathy and cold-bloodedness' after the killing.
Thomas has reportedly confessed to killing Joksimovic, a catwalk coach and winner of Miss Northwest Switzerland in 2007. The couple had two children together. An appeal for his release from custody was denied by the Federal Court.
Former Miss Switzerland Christa Rigozzi, a friend of Joksimovic, expressed shock, saying: 'It's terrible. I'm really shocked. I'm thinking of her two daughters. She was such a beautiful and kind-hearted woman.' The trial is ongoing.
