Florida man accused of murdering wife in Spain has died by suicide, according to his attorney.

Miami Man Charged with Killing Estranged Wife Dies in Custody

MIAMI — David Knezevich, a 37-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident charged with the kidnapping and murder of his estranged wife, Ana Knezevich Henao, has died of an apparent suicide while in custody at the Federal Detention Center in Miami. Knezevich had been awaiting trial on serious charges that stemmed from Henao’s mysterious disappearance in Madrid in early February 2024.

According to his defense attorneys, Knezevich was found dead on the morning of Monday, [specific date needed]. The attorneys were informed of his death by federal prosecutors and later participated in a Zoom call with U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams to discuss the circumstances. An investigation into his death is being conducted by the FBI.

In the wake of this tragic event, Jayne Weintraub, one of Knezevich’s defense attorneys, expressed devastation and highlighted that she and another defense lawyer had met with him just the day prior. Knezevich had been characterized as appreciative and polite during their discussions.

Knezevich was facing grave accusations involving the abduction and subsequent presumed murder of his wife, who was reported missing on February 2, 2024. His charges included kidnapping resulting in death, foreign domestic violence resulting in death, and foreign murder of a U.S. national. With Knezevich’s death, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are expected to drop the charges against him.

Despite the fact that prosecutors had previously opted not to pursue the death penalty in January 2024, Knezevich still faced the prospect of a life sentence if convicted. His trial was scheduled to commence in mid-June.

The legal struggle surrounding this case had intensified as Knezevich and Henao had been in a dispute over millions in real estate assets in Broward County, which they had accumulated during their 13-year marriage. After Henao left for Spain in December 2023, Knezevich allegedly traveled to Spain in late January, having reportedly rented a car to locate her. It is suspected that he may have carried Henao’s body from her Madrid apartment in a suitcase, based on surveillance footage.

The FBI, along with international authorities, had actively investigated the circumstances surrounding Henao’s disappearance, ultimately inspecting areas in northern Italy suspected of being intermediary locations during Knezevich’s travel. Despite these significant investigative efforts, Henao’s body has never been located, complicating the case for prosecutors.

As investigations continue, the implications of Knezevich’s death further complicate the pursuit of justice for Ana Knezevich Henao and her family.