David Knezevich, the former husband of Ana María Henao, a woman of Colombian origin and American nationality who vanished in Madrid in February 2024, was discovered dead in his cell at a federal prison in Miami this Monday, according to Telemundo. Knezevich, a 36-year-old of Serbian descent, had been held without bail facing charges of kidnapping and the alleged murder of his ex-wife.
The couple, married for 13 years and residing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was embroiled in a contentious divorce, primarily due to disputes over a multimillion-dollar estate comprising shared businesses and properties. Seeking a fresh start after the split, Ana María, aged 40, relocated to Madrid in late 2023.
The last sighting of Ana María was on February 2, 2024. The following day, her friends received peculiar messages from her phone, claiming she had met a man and would spend the weekend at his country house. Friends, however, were suspicious as the writing style differed from Ana María's usual manner.
Investigations unveiled that on the day she went missing, security cameras in her Salamanca neighborhood residence were disabled with aerosol, and no signs of violence were found in her apartment. Knezevich had traveled to Serbia shortly after her disappearance and was apprehended by the FBI in May 2024 upon landing at Miami International Airport from Belgrade.
From the onset, he was the prime suspect, notably due to his minimal cooperation with law enforcement and his immediate hiring of a criminal attorney in the United States. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence linking Knezevich to Ana María's disappearance, including footage of him purchasing materials in a Madrid hardware store that were allegedly used to deactivate the security cameras.
It was also revealed that he enlisted a woman's help to draft a fake farewell note in "Colombian Spanish" to mislead authorities. Although the death penalty was initially considered, it was ruled out due to the absence of Ana María's body, despite exhaustive searches in Spain and Italy. Adam Ingber, the Henao family's attorney, described the crime as "meticulously planned over months and months."
The investigation into Ana María Henao's disappearance remains active.
Key Questions About Ana María Henao's Disappearance
What led to David Knezevich's arrest?
David Knezevich was arrested by the FBI in May 2024 when he arrived at Miami International Airport from Belgrade, due to his suspected involvement in the disappearance of his ex-wife, Ana María Henao.
Why was the death penalty not pursued in Knezevich's case?
The death penalty was not pursued because Ana María Henao's body was never found, even after extensive searches in Spain and Italy, making it difficult to conclusively prove murder.
What evidence linked Knezevich to the crime?
Evidence included security footage of Knezevich in a Madrid hardware store purchasing items allegedly used to disable security cameras, and his involvement in creating a fake farewell note.