Naman Shrestha
In early 2024, 40-year-old Ana Knezevich had recently moved to Madrid, Spain, where she hoped to start afresh and explore new places. Unfortunately, within months of her move, she vanished into thin air. During the investigation, the detectives uncovered shocking details of her personal life that led to her sudden disappearance. The episode titled ‘Missing Ana’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline’ chronicles the entire case and the investigation that followed with the help of insightful interviews with Ana’s loved ones and the officials linked to the case.
Ana Knezevich Suddenly Vanished From Her Madrid Apartment in Early 2024
The beloved daughter of Aura Henao, Ana Maria Henao Knezevic, was raised in a loving and supportive household alongside her brother, Felipe Henao. In 2011, Ana tied the knot with David Knezevich and established a real estate business together, owning about 15 different properties across Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Oakland Park. Most of the properties were rented as Airbnbs. However, their marriage couldn’t stand the test of time, and they eventually parted ways. The long-time resident of Fort Lauderdale relocated to Madrid, Spain, in December 2023, looking for a fresh start. On the morning of February 2, 2024, Ana finalized the sale of a $900,000 house in Oakland Park, making her the sole owner of the property.
Just a few hours after the deal, she went missing from her apartment in Madrid. The following day, two of her friends received text messages from her phone, in which she claimed that she was running off with a man she had just met. On February 4, the 40-year-old Colombian native was reported missing to the authorities. They searched her apartment for any kind of evidence, but couldn’t find any sign of her. However, they noticed that her necklace and journal were nowhere to be found, too. Despite the best efforts from the police, her remains have yet to be found. In April 2026, the detectives offered up to $25,000 to anyone providing information that could lead to her remains.
Ana Knezevich’s Accused Killer Allegedly Drove From Serbia to Spain With Murder on His Mind
During the search for Ana Knezevich, the police reviewed surveillance footage from her apartment building. She was last seen on the footage at around 1:42 pm on February 2, 2024. Several hours later, around 9:30 pm, a suspect could be seen entering the apartment building wearing a motorbike helmet and a reflective vest. The man proceeded to spray-paint the only security camera in the lobby before leaving the building, seemingly with a suitcase. Upon talking to Ana’s family and friends, the detectives learned that she and her estranged husband, David, had been going through a nasty divorce at the time. The arguments and disagreements between them stemmed mainly from the subject of dividing the fortune they had earned through their real estate investments and computer business.
With suspicions looming over David’s possible involvement, the detectives dug deeper into his movements in the days leading up to the disappearance. They found out that on January 29, 2024, David rented a dark blue 2019 Peugeot 308 in Belgrade, Serbia, and drove to Madrid, Spain, after getting the rear windows tinted. The authorities stated, “During the trip, he stole multiple license plates in an attempt to conceal his movements. He traveled back to Serbia via the same route, and it is believed he disposed of Ana Maria’s remains during this return trip.” A few hours after Ana went missing, the car was spotted with the stolen license plates driving through a suburban Madrid toll booth, but the driver couldn’t be seen due to the tinted windows.
David allegedly returned the car to the rental agency five weeks later, after driving it about 4,800 miles. He had removed and put back the license plates, removed a couple of identifying stickers, and tinted the windows. The Spanish authorities also spotted David buying duct tape and the same brand of spray paint that the man in the surveillance footage had applied to the security camera in Ana’s apartment building lobby. Armed with enough evidence against him, the police finally apprehended him on May 4, 2024, at Miami International Airport after his flight from Serbia landed. He was then charged with kidnapping resulting in death, foreign murder of a United States national, and foreign domestic violence resulting in death.
The Accused Killer Passed Away Before His Trial
David Knezevich decided to plead not guilty to the charges against him and maintained his innocence. His defense counsel argued that David was in Serbia on the day Ana disappeared. However, the prosecution claimed that he had rented a car four days earlier and drove to Madrid, Spain, where he committed the murder and disposed of the remains. In February 2025, Ana’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the accused. A couple of months later, on the morning of April 28, 2025, David took his own life at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida, where he was awaiting his trial. Despite using life-saving measures, the emergency medical services workers couldn’t save him and pronounced him dead.
Following David’s suicide, Ana’s family released a statement that read: “The suicide of Ana’s murderer closes a painful chapter in our lives, previously filled with the dread that he might not face justice. Now, we may never know where he put Ana’s body. It is a cruel final insult that we may never recover Ana’s remains or know the full extent of the betrayal she suffered. Still, we remain committed to seeking the truth and justice for Ana through our attorney, Mr. Ingber, and to preserving Ana’s memory while honoring her life with dignity, strength, and love. We are thankful to the authorities that they continue to investigate and to search for Anna‘s body.”
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