FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — David Knezevich, a Florida businessman already accused of kidnapping his estranged wife in Spain, is now facing additional charges in the U.S. related to her murder. This development comes as a federal grand jury in South Florida has indicted him on charges that include kidnapping resulting in death, foreign domestic violence resulting in death, and foreign murder of a U.S. citizen. If convicted, he could potentially face the death penalty.
Knezevich, 36, has pleaded not guilty to the kidnapping of his 40-year-old wife, Ana Hedao Knezevich, who went missing in February. Her disappearance sparked widespread media coverage internationally. He is currently being held in jail without bond.
Ana Knezevich vanished from her apartment in Madrid on February 2, shortly after moving there. Despite extensive efforts, her body has yet to be discovered. Surveillance footage captured a figure wearing a motorcycle helmet entering her building and tampering with a security camera by spray painting it, shortly before a suitcase was seen being taken out of the premises.
Prosecutors have presented what they describe as compelling evidence linking Knezevich to this incident. They claim that he traveled from Miami to Turkey just days before his wife’s disappearance and subsequently returned to his homeland of Serbia, where he rented a Peugeot vehicle. The investigation indicates that on the day Ana vanished, Knezevich was spotted 1,600 miles away in a Madrid hardware store purchasing duct tape and the same type of spray paint used to obscure the security camera’s lens.
Evidence suggests that when Knezevich returned the rented Peugeot after five weeks, it had accumulated an unusual 4,800 miles. Additionally, its windows were tinted, identifying stickers were removed, and modifications were made to the license plate, leading authorities to suspect foul play.
According to prosecutors, the couple’s marriage had soured over financial disputes regarding their substantial shared wealth, which included millions of dollars in properties. The couple had been married for 13 years and were in the midst of a contentious divorce when Ana disappeared.
Knezevich’s attorney, Jayne Weintraub, has stated that her client intends to plead not guilty at his upcoming arraignment hearing. She criticized the government for what she described as an overreaching attempt to add multiple charges without sufficient evidence, asserting, “There is no evidence that David Knezevich kidnapped or murdered his wife.”
At a previous hearing, Weintraub challenged the claims made by the government, disputing their assertion that Knezevich sold off assets to amass funds for an escape. She emphasized that the couple’s separation was amicable and that they were in the process of negotiating financial arrangements.
