David Knežević, a Belgrader with an American passport (also known as Dušan Knežević), faces the death penalty in the United States for the kidnapping and murder of his wife, Ana Knežević!
David Knežević was arrested on May 4th immediately upon landing at the Miami airport and was initially charged with the “mere” kidnapping of his Colombian-born wife, who mysteriously disappeared on February 2nd of this year, with her body never found. However, U.S. authorities recently expanded the charges against Knežević, now accusing him of kidnapping resulting in death and the murder of a U.S. citizen abroad, as his wife, Ana, also held U.S. citizenship.
A Serbian Already Sentenced to Death in the U.S.
Although Ana Knežević went missing in Spain, with multiple European police forces involved in the search, including Serbian police, David Knežević is being tried in Florida, where the death penalty still exists, unlike in some other U.S. states.
Since 1976, 106 prisoners have been executed in Florida, with 280 more awaiting execution. If found guilty of his wife’s death and sentenced to death, David Knežević would be the second Serbian national facing execution by U.S. authorities!
A Serbian inmate, Avram Nika, is currently on death row in Nevada. He was sentenced to death on July 10, 1995, for murdering a man on the highway. After over 25 years of waiting, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2019. However, Nika remains on the official list of foreigners sentenced to death in the U.S.
The Divorce Case Worth $15 Million
David Knežević’s case, however, is much more complex. He and his wife, Ana, had been married for nearly 13 years, and after deciding to separate, she moved to Spain, specifically Madrid. In the meantime, a divorce case worth around $15 million was initiated, as their assets—including a company they both worked for and various properties—were valued at that amount.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the beginning of February this year when Ana Knežević disappeared! She was last seen by friends on February 2nd when she arrived at her apartment in a quiet Madrid neighborhood. After that, nothing. Two days later, the police entered the apartment but found no signs of violence, except for surveillance cameras at the entrance being disabled with black spray paint, exactly on the day she disappeared!
Filmed in Madrid, Arrested in the U.S.
Although David Knežević was the only suspect from the beginning, he was not arrested until two months later when he left Serbia and went to Miami. Then the evidence began to unfold: Spanish police revealed footage from surveillance cameras confirming that Knežević was in Madrid at the time of Ana’s disappearance, that he rented a car for the trip from Serbia to Spain, which had tinted windows and swapped license plates, and that he bought black spray paint in a Madrid store, similar to the one used in Ana’s building.
According to Spanish police, David killed Ana in the apartment, dismembered her body, and then carried it out of the building in two suitcases. Notably, Ana was described as being of very short stature, only 150 centimeters tall. He then disposed of her body at an unknown location.
PROČITAJTE VIŠE:
FBI and Spanish Group 12 in Belgrade
Although nearly ten months have passed since Ana’s disappearance and despite the involvement of not only Spanish police but also Serbian, French, Italian, Slovenian, and FBI agents, Ana’s body has still not been found. In July, agents from Spain’s famous Group 12, specialized in missing persons cases, visited Serbia. They reconstructed David Knežević’s movements, reviewed surveillance footage from highways and in Belgrade, and interviewed the suspect’s parents and acquaintances.
- “We are acting on requests from the governments of the U.S. and the Kingdom of Spain, who are leading the investigations into the murder of Ana Knežević, against her husband David Knežević. The FBI suspects him of the crimes of murdering a U.S. citizen abroad and kidnapping, while Spanish authorities are investigating him for murder. The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, along with the Serbian Ministry of Interior, and colleagues from Spain and the U.S., are gathering the necessary evidence against the suspect, which could shed light on Ana Knežević’s case,” said Nenad Stefanović, the Chief Public Prosecutor in Belgrade.
Detailed Searches and Witness Testimony
Stefanović explained that many things had been handled swiftly.
“In Belgrade, searches have already been conducted, and several witnesses have been questioned, including the suspect’s parents and individuals from the car rental agency from which Knežević rented the car he allegedly used to travel to Spain. Evidence of his movements and phone communications has also been collected and will be forwarded to foreign colleagues,” explained Stefanović.
The FBI and Spanish police have carried out multiple searches in various locations, first on the highway between Madrid and the French border, and then in Italy near Vicenza. It was determined that, during his return to Serbia, David had both his and Ana’s mobile phones with him, and her phone remained active until he entered France. He also stayed unexpectedly long in the area around Vicenza in Italy.
The Lawyer Claims: No Evidence!
The Spanish police report mentions messages allegedly sent by the former husband to Ana’s friend, pretending to be Ana, which were sent from French territory. In those messages, Ana supposedly mentioned meeting a “wonderful man” with whom she planned to spend the weekend at a house on the outskirts of Madrid.
While it seems that, despite the absence of a body, the evidence against him is strong and nearly irrefutable, Knežević’s lawyer claims the situation is entirely different. She emphasizes that the authorities have no evidence to support the charges against her client.
“The expanded indictment is a desperate move by the authorities to maintain it. There is no evidence that David Knežević kidnapped or killed his wife. He will plead not guilty,” said lawyer Jane Weintraub to CNN.
Chronology
- January: David Knežević left Serbia in a rented car and returned on February 5.
- February: Ana disappeared from her apartment in Madrid; someone disabled the building’s entrance cameras with spray paint.
- February: Ana’s friend received strange SMS messages and reported her missing, leading the police to enter her apartment.
- May: David Knežević was arrested upon landing at the Miami airport and charged with kidnapping.
- May: Spanish police combed forests and streams along the highway from Madrid to Guadalajara.
- June: Security camera photos were released showing David Knežević in Madrid.
- June: FBI agents and Spain’s Group 12 police visited Belgrade; Knežević’s parents were questioned, and footage was collected.
- August: Spanish and Italian police searched the area near Vicenza, Italy, for the body.
- November: Expanded indictment for kidnapping resulting in death and the murder of a U.S. citizen abroad.
Police Version
- David rented a car in Belgrade and drove to Madrid, even sleeping in it.
- He disabled the camera in Ana’s building with spray paint he purchased from a store.
- He killed his wife, dismembered her, and carried the body out of the building in two suitcases.
- He disposed of her body somewhere on his return trip from Madrid to Belgrade (Spain, Italy…).
Key Details
- David and Ana decided to divorce after 13 years of marriage.
- He is Serbian, she was Colombian, both held U.S. citizenship.
- Their shared assets, including a company and real estate, were valued at $15 million.
- Ana disappeared without a trace on February 2nd from her apartment in Madrid.
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Izvor: Blic, Foto: Screenshot