A South Florida businessman, David Knezevich, who was accused of murdering his ex-wife in Spain, has been found dead in custody, his defense attorney, Jayne Weintraub, confirmed. Knezevich, 37, was facing federal charges related to the February 2, 2024 disappearance and death of Ana María Henao Knezevich.
Weintraub said the legal team was “devastated” by the news and expressed confidence that a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death will be conducted.
So far, no additional details have been provided about how his death occurred.
Knezevich’s arrest at Miami airport
According to CBS News, Knezevich was arrested in May 2024 at Miami International Airport after arriving on a flight from Serbia.
He has since been held without bail while awaiting trial on charges including kidnapping resulting in death, foreign domestic violence resulting in death, and murder abroad of a U.S. citizen.
His ex-wife, originally from Colombia and a naturalized U.S. citizen, lived in Fort Lauderdale and had traveled to Madrid amid a contentious divorce. Shortly after her arrival in the Spanish capital, she disappeared.
A federal indictment filed in November 2024
According to the federal indictment, Knezevich allegedly traveled from South Florida to Spain with the intent to murder, injure, harass, and intimidate his ex-wife.
Authorities maintain that he committed a violent act that resulted in her death.
Surveillance camera footage reportedly captured a man with similar characteristics to Knezevich, wearing a motorcycle helmet, disabling a security camera in front of Ana María Henao Knezevich’s apartment in Madrid. The same man was later seen leaving the apartment with a suitcase.
Prosecutors also said Knezevich was recorded at a local hardware store purchasing the same brand of duct tape and spray paint used to tamper with the security camera for cash.
In addition, investigations revealed that stolen license plates found in Madrid were linked to areas near a motorcycle shop, where a helmet matching the one used by the man captured in the images was purchased, and to the victim’s apartment building.
The vehicle rented by Knezevich
Another key element in the investigation was a Peugeot rented by Knezevich in Belgrade, Serbia, days before the crime.
This vehicle, with stolen license plates, was spotted at a toll booth outside Madrid hours after the helmeted man left Ana María Henao Knezevich’s apartment.
Authorities said the car had traveled nearly 7,725 additional miles when it was returned. Additionally, the vehicle’s windows were tinted, the identification stickers had been removed, and the license plates showed signs of tampering.
Fake messages sent from Ana’s phone
Another aspect that caught the attention of investigators was the messages sent from Ana María’s cell phone after her disappearance.
According to prosecutors, Knezevich contacted a Colombian woman he met through a dating app and asked her to translate two messages into “perfect Colombian Spanish.”
These messages, later sent from Ana’s phone, claimed that she had run away with a man she had just met. However, friends of the victim claimed that this behavior was completely out of character for her.
The legal situation before his death in prison
Despite the evidence presented, Knezevich pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence throughout the trial. His lawyers argued that he was in Serbia, more than 2,575 kilometers away, at the time of his ex-wife’s disappearance.
As reported by the Miami Herald in December 2024, Knezevich continued to proclaim his innocence until the end.
The case of Ana María Henao Knezevich generated international attention and mobilized law enforcement agencies from several countries to collaborate in the investigation. Additionally, in early 2024, the victim’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against David Knezevich.