Florida resident David Knezevich is accused of kidnapping and killing his estranged wife, Ana Maria Henao, after she traveled from Miami to Madrid via her native Serbia.
advertisementA man accused of kidnapping his wife, who went missing in Spain nine months ago, has been indicted on murder charges in a U.S. court.
This week, a federal grand jury in Miami indicted David Knezevich, also known as Dusan Knežević, on charges of kidnapping resulting in death, foreign domestic violence resulting in death and murder of a U.S. national. If found guilty, he could face the death penalty.
Ana Maria Henao, 40, a U.S. citizen, disappeared from Madrid, where she was living, in February. Authorities in Spain and across Europe have since been searching for her body.
Knejevic, 36, a businessman living in Florida, was arrested in May after flying into Miami International Airport from his native Serbia. He was originally charged with kidnapping resulting in death. Last June, Knežević pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges.
According to the new indictment, Knežević traveled from Miami to Madrid via Turkey and Serbia earlier this year with the intent to kill, injure, harass and threaten his spouse and intimate partner, and committed violent crimes against her. Yes. death.”
Knezevich’s lead attorney, Jayne Weintraub, said Thursday that his client plans to plead not guilty at a trial hearing next week.
“It’s a desperate attempt by the government to charge whatever it can and see what works,” Weintraub said in an email. “There is no evidence that David Knezevich kidnapped or murdered his wife.”
U.S. prosecutors said Knezevic flew from Miami to Turkey in January, six days before Ana went missing, then went to his native Serbia and rented a Peugeot car.
According to court records, on the day Henao was last seen (February 2), Knezevich was captured on security cameras buying spray paint and duct tape at a hardware store in Madrid. Knežević then entered his estranged wife’s apartment building and disabled security cameras with spray paint, according to prosecutors. He was later seen leaving the building with a suitcase, according to court records.
When Knežević returned the Peugeot to the Serbian rental company five weeks later, there was evidence that the car had driven 7,700km, the windows had been tinted and the number plates had been removed and replaced, prosecutors said. .
According to prosecutors, the two have been filing for divorce, fighting over millions of dollars in assets. They have been married for 13 years.
Henao’s brother Diego told US media this week that the family welcomed the new charges and would continue to seek answers.
Her relatives had previously warned of possible foul play, saying they had received messages written in non-native Spanish from Ana while she was missing.
additional sources • AP
