Published 11:13 18 Sep 2024 GMT
Warning: Some readers might find this article distressing.
Former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic was allegedly the victim of horrific domestic abuse, with her decapitated head reportedly found by her father.
Joksimovic, 38, who was a finalist in the 2007 Miss Switzerland competition, was allegedly strangled and dismembered by her husband earlier this year.
Concerns over Joksimovic's welfare first arose when her children's nursery contacted her parents after failing to reach her.
Alarmed, her parents went to the home she shared with her husband Marc Rieben, located near Basel, Switzerland.
When they arrived, Rieben claimed he had no idea where his wife was.
According to a close friend of Joksimovic, speaking to MailOnline, Rieben continued to claim he had no knowledge of her whereabouts and offered her father a drink.
As the night progressed, her father searched the house for any trace of his daughter.
It was in the basement laundry room - described as an “isolated bunker” - where he found her remains.
The friend's account described the horrifying moment when Joksimovic’s father noticed strands of blonde hair protruding from a black trash bag in the basement.
Upon opening it, he found her severed head inside.
“He opened the black bin bag and saw her cut-off head with the hair still attached,” the family friend said.
The family friend said Rieben appeared shocked when confronted.
"He was gobsmacked as he probably didn’t think someone would find her," the friend said, adding that Rieben even blamed Joksimovic’s parents for staying too long that evening, saying: "If they had only come by briefly, they wouldn’t have stumbled across the remains."
Rieben was arrested at the scene and later led away in handcuffs, reportedly showing no remorse.
“How deranged do you have to be to not show a single emotion?” the family friend commented.
The autopsy report revealed the extent of the brutal attack. Joksimovic’s death was caused by strangulation, and her body bore signs of blunt force trauma.
Rieben allegedly used a jigsaw, knife, and garden shears to dismember her, carefully removing her womb, which investigators believe points to a potential mental disorder.
Parts of her body were pureed in an industrial blender, and investigators found some dissolved in a chemical solution.
Court documents also stated that Rieben played YouTube videos on his phone while dismembering his wife’s body.
It is also alleged that he later attempted to hide evidence, including Joksimovic's phone, which was concealed on a delivery truck.
Rieben initially claimed that he acted in self-defense after Joksimovic allegedly attacked him with a knife, but the autopsy contradicted this, highlighting the methodical and prolonged nature of the dismemberment.
As the legal case against Rieben progresses, a custody battle has emerged over the couple’s two young daughters, aged three and four.
The children are currently under the care of Joksimovic’s parents and her sister.
However, concerns have been raised about the grandparents' ability to care for the children long-term, given their age and emotional state.
Rieben’s sister has applied for custody, reportedly backed by her and Rieben’s wealthy family, who have enlisted top lawyers.
“Her parents are middle class, and they can’t win against his family’s expensive lawyers,” the family friend explained.
On September 11, Rieben's appeal for release from custody was denied by the Federal Court in Lausanne, as the case against him continues.
The autopsy confirmed Joksimovic's cause of death as strangulation.
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