Former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic has been allegedly murdered by her husband, Thomas, who is accused of dismembering and dissolving her body.

The 38-year-old model’s remains were discovered in their home in Binningen, near Basel, in February.

Thomas, 41, confessed to the murder during a crime reconstruction but claimed it was an act of self-defence, alleging Kristina attacked him with a knife. But an autopsy revealed that she was strangled to death.

Reports from local news outlet BZ Basel said that Thomas used various tools, including a jigsaw, knife, and garden shears, to dismember Kristina’s body in their laundry room. He allegedly then used a hand blender to “puree” her remains and dissolved them in a chemical solution.

Thomas was arrested the day after the discovery of Kristina’s body. Initially, he told investigators that he found her dead and panicked, leading him to dismember her. The court denied his appeal for release, citing the gruesome details of the crime and his confession.

Kristina Joksimovic was not only a former beauty queen, having been crowned Miss Northwest Switzerland and a finalist for Miss Switzerland in 2007, but also a successful catwalk coach and a mother of two.