Husband of woman who disappeared in Spain held without bond
MIAMI - The husband of a South Florida woman who went missing in Spain has been ordered held without bond after appearing in federal court Friday.
The judge agreed with a federal prosecutor that David Knezevich is a flight risk and should be held without bond on the charge of kidnapping.
The decision came during the federal court hearing Friday in Miami.
The judge noted that Knezevich had traveled to 30 countries and had significant ties to Serbia.
The defense had argued that he no longer had a passport and could wear a GPS monitor.
Family members say Ana Knezevich had gone to Madrid in late December to get away from her husband and they were going through a nasty divorce.
Prosecutors say on the day of her disapparance, David Knezevich was seen on surveillance tape buying spray paint and someone resembling him was seen spraying down a surveillance camera at her apartment and then leaving with a suitcase.
After the judge's decision, we spoke with an attorney for her family who had a very brief statement.
"On behalf of the family, we are very pleased. We are very grateful to the court and we are continuing to cooperate with law enforcement as they pursue justice for Ana and make sure Ana Marie's voice is heard. We thank you all. We are not taking any more questions."
David Knezevich's attorney left without commenting.
The judge noted this was a circumstantial case and said she could appeal his decision.
An FBI agent testified they are still looking for Ana Knezevich.
David Knezevich was arrested at Miami International Airport last week "...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. He is charged with kidnapping.
Court documents show there is evidence that links Knevevich to his wife's disappearance. Investigators say someone resembling him was seen on video buying spray paint, spraying it on a surveillance camera at Ana's apartment, then leaving later with a suitcase.
A can of spray paint, security camera footage, stolen license plates and rental car records helped tie him to the crime, according to the criminal complaint.
Federal officials said records show Knezevich flew from Miami to Turkey in January and then went to Belgrade, Serbia, where he rented a small Peugeot on January 29.
The owner of the rental car agency told investigators that when the car was returned in mid-March, someone had tinted its windows and added a new license plate frame, and it had traveled nearly 4,800 miles, the criminal complaint said.
Tollbooth cameras captured images of the same model Peugeot, with tinted windows, near Madrid in the late night and early morning of February 2 and 3. It had license plates stolen from another vehicle on the Madrid street where his estranged wife was living, the complaint said.
Federal officials allege the text messages sent from Knezevich's phone actually came from her husband. And they were written with the help of a woman Knezevich had met on a dating app months earlier, court documents said.
"We still have hope that we can find where my sister is, if she's out there. I just want to tell her we all love her, miss her, support her. We are her voice," said Felipe Henao shortly after Knezevich's arrest.
The Knezeviches have been married for 13 years. They own EOX Technology Solutions Inc., which does computer support for South Florida businesses.
Friends and family said Ana was in the middle of a nasty divorce with David. Ana's brother, Juan Henao, told police David was angry that they would be dividing a substantial amount of money.