A Fresh Start Turns Mysterious
Ana Maria Knezevich moved from South Florida to Madrid in December 2023 after separating from her husband, seeking a new beginning.
1Talking Dateline
The International Search for Missing Ana Maria Knezevich
Dateline anchor José Díaz-Balart and producer Alex Lo Re discuss the mysterious disappearance of Ana Maria Knezevich, whose case sparked an investigation across Spain, Serbia, and Florida.
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Talking Dateline: Missing Ana
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What to know before you press play.
Sudden Disappearance
Just two months after her arrival in Spain, Ana vanished, leaving behind a trail of text messages that claimed she had met a man and gone on a trip.
23Friends Take Action
Skeptical of the text messages, Ana's close friends initiated a search effort that evolved into a complex international investigation.
4Cross-Border Investigation
The case spanned multiple countries, including Serbia, Spain, and Florida, involving Spain’s elite detective unit.
57Reporting from Home
Anchor José Díaz-Balart discussed the experience of reporting on the case from Madrid, the city where he grew up.
6Ask GenPod next
Keep the question moving.
“What specific evidence led friends to doubt the text messages from Ana?”
“How did the Spanish elite detective unit contribute to the investigation?”
“What role did Serbia play in the search for Ana Maria Knezevich?”
Background reading
The context behind the episode.
Case Background
The Disappearance of Ana Maria Knezevich
In December 2023, 40-year-old Ana Maria Knezevich relocated from South Florida to Madrid, Spain, following her separation from her husband. Two months later, she disappeared. Friends received text messages suggesting she had met a man and traveled, but their skepticism led to an active search. The investigation extended across Spain, Serbia, and Florida, with Spanish detectives employing extraordinary measures to identify those responsible.
123457Questions
Questions to carry into the episode.
Who is the main subject of this episode?
Ana Maria Knezevich, a 40-year-old woman who disappeared in Madrid in early 2024.
12What triggered the investigation?
Close friends became skeptical of text messages from Ana claiming she had met a man and gone on a trip, prompting them to search for her.
34Which countries were involved in the investigation?
The investigation spanned Spain, Serbia, and Florida.
5Experts
Voices named in the source.
Sources and disclosure
Where this guide comes from.
This listening guide is based on the episode 'Talking Dateline: Missing Ana' from Dateline NBC, hosted by Simplecast.
- Publisher show notes
Blayne Alexander sits down with José Díaz-Balart, anchor of “Dateline en español,” to discuss his episode, “Missing Ana.” In December 2023, after separating from her husband, 40-year-old Ana Maria Knezevich moved from South Florida to Madrid, Spain, for a fresh start.
- Publisher show notes
Just two months later, Ana vanished.
- Publisher show notes
Close friends received text messages from Ana claiming she had met a man and gone on a trip.
- Publisher show notes
Skeptical of the messages, the friends sprang into action to find Ana.
- Publisher show notes
What followed was an international investigation spanning Serbia, Spain, and Florida.
- Publisher show notes
José shares what it was like reporting from Madrid, the city where he grew up.
- Publisher show notes
He and Blayne discuss Spain’s elite detective unit and the extraordinary lengths investigators went to in their search for the person responsible.
- Publisher show notes
Plus, José and Alex Lo Re, one of the producers of the episode, answer your questions from social media.
- Publisher show notes
Have a question for Talking Dateline? Send us a DM @DatelineNBC or leave a voicemail at (212) 413-5252 – your question could be featured in an upcoming episode.
- Publisher show notes
Listen to the full episode of “Missing Ana” on Apple: https://apple.co/4xt8949
- Publisher show notes
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TSOtNPezn2iAZqTKMavd4
- Publisher show notes
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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