Family of South Florida woman missing in Spain seeks answers: "We're still in shock"
MIAMI — The family of a South Florida woman who disappeared three months ago in Spain broke their silence this Wednesday, seeking justice and hoping to find answers just days after the woman's estranged husband was arrested in connection with the case.
Broward County resident Ana Knezevich Henao disappeared in Spain in February. On Saturday, her husband was arrested by federal authorities at Miami International Airport.
This Wednesday, her mother and two brothers appeared at a Fort Lauderdale law firm to talk about their loved one.
"It's been a very devastating time for us," said Ana's brother Felipe Henao. "We're still in shock. I just want justice for my sister. We still have hope we can find where my sister is."
The press conference comes a day after the release of an FBI criminal complaint filled with new allegations against Ana's estranged husband, David Knezevich.
David Knezevich, 35, was arrested Saturday at Miami International Airport "…for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Madrid, Spain on or about February 2, 2024,", according to the criminal complaint.
When asked about details of the international and federal investigation, Felipe Henao said that he's letting authorities continue the search. Pressed on whether he thought his sister is still alive, he declined to comment on it: "It's not easy to talk about that. I don't want to talk about it."
The husband initially told police that he was in Serbia at the time of Ana's disappearance. Officials now say he rented a car in Serbia and tracked her down. The car was traced to the street in Madrid where Ana's apartment was located. At the press conference on Wednesday, her brother Philip thanked her friends for first sounding the alarm.
The case against Ana Knezevich's husband
The FBI has laid out a detailed case showing why agents believe David is behind his estranged wife's disappearance from her apartment in Spain, but gave no indication about what they think happened to her.
Court documents released late Monday show that federal authorities believe David Knezevich resembles the man wearing a motorcycle helmet who spray-painted the security camera lens outside Ana Knezevich's Madrid apartment on Feb. 2. The man left an hour later carrying a suitcase.
Spanish police say they have security video of the 36-year-old Fort Lauderdale business owner purchasing the same brand of paint and duct tape hours earlier. Investigators also interviewed a woman who says Knezevich asked her to translate a text message that was sent to his wife's friends after her disappearance.
David Knezevich's attorney, Ken Padowitz, did not return a call or email on Tuesday seeking comment. He said his client is not guilty and was in his native Serbia on the day his 40-year-old wife disappeared 1,600 miles away. But agents say Knezevich rented a Peugeot car in the Serbian capital Belgrade four days earlier, which he could have used to travel to Spain.