Rieben on trial for wife's murder, dismemberment

Marc Rieben went on trial Monday in Muttenz, Switzerland, accused of murdering his wife, former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic, and dismembering her body in their home in Binnigen near Basel in February 2024.

Prosecutors at Basel-Landschaft Criminal Court allege Rieben, 43, strangled the 38-year-old mother of two with a ribbon-like object after grabbing her by the neck and slamming her against a wall during an argument over their impending divorce. They claim he acted out of a need for control, resentment, and rage, refusing to accept the split or provide financial support while seeking full custody of their daughters. An autopsy revealed signs of blunt force trauma, bruising, facial cuts, and hair pulled from her scalp. After her death, Rieben allegedly spent hours dismembering the body using a jigsaw, garden shears, and knife, pureeing parts in a blender, dissolving others in chemicals, and removing her uterus in what experts described as deliberate mutilation. Investigators found he played YouTube videos on his phone during the process.

Joksimovic's father discovered remains, including her head in a black duffel bag with blonde hair protruding, in the home's...