The Florida man suspected in the disappearance of his estranged American wife in Spain allegedly had his Colombian girlfriend translate text messages in an effort to impersonate her.
David Knezevich, 36, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been charged with kidnapping in connection with the vanishing of his wife, Ana Knezevich, 40, according to authorities.
Knezevich was arrested Saturday at the Miami International Airport.
The investigation into Ana's whereabouts began three months ago when loved ones reported last hearing from her Feb. 2, after a suspicious text was sent from her phone – the same day she was last captured on surveillance footage entering her apartment in Madrid, Spain, where she was living amid her separation from Knezevich.
Family members described the couple's split as "contentious" due to the substantial amount of assets acquired during their 13-year marriage.
"I met someone wonderful. He has a summer house about 2h from Madrid. We are going there now and I will spend a few days there. There is barely any signal though. I'll call you when I come back. Kisses," the text message written in Colombian Spanish and sent to a friend from Ana's phone read, according to the affidavit reviewed by Headlines & Global News.
"Yesterday I went for a walk after leaving therapy and a man approached me to flirt and we had an incredible connection," another message read.
Investigators allege Knezevich met a Colombian woman through a dating app in October 2023. In February, around the time of Ana's disappearance, Knezevich allegedly messaged the woman and asked her to translate a message into "perfect Colombian" for a friend in Serbia who he claimed was writing a script about a Colombian character, according to the affidavit.
The girlfriend later told her mother about meeting Knezevich online. Wanting to learn more about her daughter's boyfriend, the mother Googled "Knezevich" and learned that his wife was missing in Madrid. The girlfriend then came across a news article that contained the message she translated for him, prompting her to contact authorities, the affidavit read.
The day Ana vanished, investigators discovered someone resembling her husband gained access to her Madrid apartment building while other individuals were leaving. He then spray-painted a security camera – unknowingly with a transparent layer of spray paint – the affidavit stated. About an hour later, the same man was seen through the spray-painted security camera lens leaving the building with a suitcase.
Ana was never captured on camera walking out of her apartment. Spanish firefighters responding to a welfare check at her unit Feb. 4 discovered her cell phone and laptop were also missing.
Investigators have not disclosed where they think Ana may be or if she is in fact still alive.
