The trial of a Swiss man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic, is set to begin this week, more than two years after investigators discovered her remains inside the family home.
Keep reading to know all the details.
Marc Rieben has been charged in connection with the death of his late wife, Kristina Joksimovic, 38, who was killed in February 2024 at the couple’s residence in Binningen, a town near Basel.
The case shocked Switzerland not only because of the gruesome allegations, but also because of the disturbing details prosecutors say emerged during the investigation.
Rieben has reportedly claimed he acted in self-defense; however, prosecutors strongly dispute that version of events.
According to investigators, the killing allegedly happened during escalating tensions surrounding the couple’s separation.
Rieben, who is scheduled to stand trial in Muttenz for approximately five and a half days, is accused of attacking Joksimovic during what prosecutors described as a “violent rage.”
Reports cited by the Mirror claim the couple had been involved in disputes over custody of their two daughters, with prosecutors alleging Rieben demanded full-time custody while refusing to provide financial support during the separation process.
Authorities allege he grabbed Joksimovic by the throat, pinned her against a wall, and strangled her using what investigators described as a “ribbon-like object.”
What prosecutors say happened afterward became the most horrifying part of the case.
According to investigators, Rieben allegedly used garden shears, a knife, and a jigsaw to dismember Joksimovic’s body inside the home’s laundry room.
Prosecutors further allege that some of her remains were processed in a kitchen blender.
Investigators later described the acts as a “deliberate mutilation or ritualised degradation of the body.”
Local reports also claimed YouTube videos were playing while the dismemberment allegedly took place. The forensic findings reportedly contradicted Rieben’s self-defense argument that he had killed Joksimovic after she attacked him with a knife.
According to investigators, the autopsy pointed to what they described as the “methodical and prolonged nature” of the dismemberment. One detail investigators highlighted was the alleged careful removal of Joksimovic’s womb.
According to reports, concerns first arose when she failed to pick up one of her daughters from kindergarten. Her parents then went to the family home looking for answers.
Authorities say Rieben told them he did not know where his wife was, but reportedly invited Joksimovic’s father inside, prepared food for him, and made him a drink while they waited.
Later that evening, while Rieben was reportedly occupied on the phone with Joksimovic’s mother, her father searched the basement. There, he allegedly discovered a black bin bag with blonde hair visible through it.
A close family friend later told the Daily Mail, “When he opened the black bin bag, he saw her cut-off head with the hair still attached.”
According to reports, Joksimovic’s father fled the home screaming before a neighbor contacted police. Rieben was arrested at the scene.
The same family friend, whose claims have not been independently verified, alleged that Rieben later remarked he had only been caught because Joksimovic’s parents remained at the house longer than expected.
“If they had only come by briefly, they wouldn’t have stumbled across the remains,” he is alleged to have said.
As the investigation unfolded, friends and acquaintances began describing what they said was a deeply troubled relationship hidden behind carefully curated public appearances.
Just weeks before her death, Joksimovic had posted images online from what appeared to be a romantic getaway with Rieben at a luxury hotel overlooking Lake Lucerne.
But according to friends, the reality behind closed doors was very different.
“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 friend told the Mirror.
“He came across as really introverted, very critical and sometimes quite arrogant.”
The same friend alleged Rieben frequently belittled Joksimovic. “He was really derogatory with her, with gestures, words and even his tone. He wanted Kristina to disappear,” they said.
Friends also claimed Joksimovic had attempted to save the relationship through couples therapy, though Rieben allegedly either walked out of sessions or refused to participate entirely.
According to reports, police had previously been called after Joksimovic allegedly accused him of being “violent and threatening.”
One friend further alleged that Rieben “hates femininity,” claiming he objected to the couple’s daughters wearing what he considered “feminine clothing.”
Before her death, Kristina Joksimovic had built a successful life both publicly and professionally. She became a finalist in the 2007 Miss Switzerland competition before later working as a runway coach and launching her own business.
Friends and former colleagues remembered her as warm, ambitious, and deeply devoted to her children.
The couple’s daughters are now reportedly being cared for by Joksimovic’s parents and sister, though custody proceedings remain ongoing.
The trial is expected to become one of Switzerland’s most closely watched criminal proceedings in recent years.
A previous attempt by Rieben to secure release from custody was rejected by Switzerland’s Federal Court. If convicted of murder, he could face a lengthy prison sentence under Swiss law.
