Warning: This article contains allegations of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
The father of Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic only learned of his daughter’s gruesome murder when he found her decapitated head.
Joksimovic’s husband, named by local media with the name Thomas, is currently on trial in Switzerland after he was accused of killing Joksimovic, who was 38 years old.
The wife and mom, who was a finalist in the 2007 Miss Switzerland competition, is said to have been strangled and dismembered before her body parts were allegedly ‘pureed’ in a blender earlier this year.
An investigation into her death has been launched (Instagram/catwalkcoach)
Joksimovic’s family members first began to worry about her welfare after her children’s nursery got in touch with her parents to say they had not heard from her.
Concerned, her parents traveled to the home Joksimovic shared with Thomas near Basel, Switzerland, but only found Thomas there.
The husband allegedly told them he didn’t know where Joksimovic was.
One of Joksimovic’s friends told the MailOnline: “For hours, he pretended as if nothing was wrong, chatting to her father and making dinner for everyone before tucking the children into their beds.”
Despite allegedly being told Joksimovic was not in the house, her father began to look around to see what he could find.
During his search, which took place on February 13, he is said to have stumbled upon a bin bag, inside which he could see his daughter’s recognizable gold hair.
Kristina Joksimovic was killed in February this year (Instagram/catwalkcoach)
“When he opened the black bin bag, he saw her cut off head with the hair still attached,” the friend said.
Horrified, the father is said to have run ‘screaming’ from the property and asked a passerby to contact the police.
According to an autopsy report cited by Swiss outlet FM1 Today, Joksimovic’s body was found ‘dismembered in the laundry room with a jigsaw power tool, knife and secateurs’.
Parts of her body had also reportedly been ‘pureed’ with a hand blender and dissolved using a chemical solution.
Thomas, who is 41, was arrested the day after Joksimovic’s body was found and reportedly confessed to killing his wife. According to local news outlet BZ Basel, Thomas claimed he carried out the gruesome murder in self-defence after his wife attacked him with a knife.
On Wednesday (September 11), Thomas had an appeal for release from custody denied by the Federal Court in Lausanne.
Joksimovic’s cause of death has been reported as strangulation.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline on 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 24/7. You can find a list of local resources here.