Overview
- The Basel-Landschaft Criminal Court, which began proceedings Monday in Muttenz, closed the courtroom to the public and placed the building under tight security.
- Marc Rieben faces charges of murder and desecration of the dead and could receive a life sentence, with a verdict expected on May 13.
- Prosecutors say a fight over divorce, custody and money preceded strangulation with a ribbon-like object and a dismemberment that included use of an industrial blender and removal of the uterus.
- Rieben admits the killing but claims self-defense and says he mutilated the body in panic, while prior court findings and a forensic assessment describe violent and controlling traits.
- Kristina Joksimovic’s father found her remains at the family home and her relatives, along with a women’s rights group, are civil plaintiffs, and strict Swiss privacy rules mean local outlets use pseudonyms and only accredited media can read the indictment.