Spain Spain - Ana Knezevich, 40, from Florida, going through divorce, missing under suspicious circumstances on trip to Madrid, 5 Feb 2024 *Arrest*

[kaya3627]

if you google the address, Francisco Silvela 65 - you can see tons of cars, traffic, and motorcycles. Also her building says 24 hour surveillance

 

[kaya3627]

I don't think her husband is directly involved. Could "someone interested in Ana's disappearance" hire someone from Europe, a country like Serbia? Surely.

BTW, I hope that there are more CCTVs in Spain than in the US.

For some reason, i can't get out of my mind the highway from Madrid to Barcelona, the one that features the metallic bull figures that later disappear (corrida is unpopular in Catalonia).

There are millions of dollars at stake. And he is a cybersecurity expert, likely familiar with the Dark Web.

 

[Sundog]

The fact that the husband didn't go to Madrid to help look for his wife is suspect, IMO.
Even though they are going through a divorce, they were married for twelve or so years, and helping to find Ana should be a priority. He would know her habits, possibly help with Spain's LE and he was invited to go to Madrid to help find her by Ana's best friend, someone he knew, and it would have been easy for him to accept the offer. Why would he go to Serbia? That's what LE are likely asking.

 

[Sundog]

There are millions of dollars at stake. And he is a cybersecurity expert, likely familiar with the Dark Web.

I don't know about the Dark Web and the husband's activity there, but I do agree about the money, lots of it at stake, which would naturally make LE take a close look at him and his actions and whereabouts during the period leading up to the time when Ana went missing.

 

[Charlot123]

There are millions of dollars at stake. And he is a cybersecurity expert, likely familiar with the Dark Web.

I said “not directly”. He has not been accused. The husband is a person with obvious interest, however, Ana is a young woman living alone in Spain, and post-Covid world is full of freaks.

What’s important is his flight to Serbia. Was it direct, or with a layover? Was there any trip from Serbia to another European country, especially the one nearby, and back?

Specifically because millions are involved, I think it would have been planned better. Dark Web is an option, but in some places, it is easier to hire someone directly. Certain countries very close to Serbia are in dire economic straits, and while not EU members, their citizens don’t need a visa to travel to EU.

 

[LadyL]

This is likely meaningless but: if the top message is Ana and the bottom messages are not, then a few things jump out at me. Primarily, they have copied the double exclamation mark ‼ ending to her sentences. So, either this person knows her way of speaking and is trying to mimic that or is simply observant. What I find strange; they mix up “I’ll” with “I will”.
View attachment 484214

I'll = I will
why do you find that strange?

 

[iusedtofloat]

The word "chévere" is extremely common in Colombia. It means "nice, cool, great". It is not often used in Castillian Spanish.

my brain: GOAT CHEESE

 

[Cryptic]

On Saturday one friend received a message from her phone in English and another friend the same message in Spanish:

"Conocí a una persona muy chévere. Tiene una casa de recreo a unas dos horas de Madrid. Ahora nos vamos y pasaré unos días allí. Aunque apenas hay señal. Te marco cuando vuelva"

I am fluent to a certain degree in Spanish. But, my fluency is learned and is not native. It would be really interesting to have a native speaker look at it. Some of the grammar / syntax maybe off.

I maybe reading it wrong as learned speakers can be stilted or too grammar focused in any language whereas native speakers just speak naturally. Or, could it depict some one texting in Spanish via a translator?

For example:

- Changes from "we go" to "I will pass" in the same sentence. Perhaps the house owner intends to stay longer. But... the syntax seems to imply the speaker and the house owner making the same trip. If so: Nos vamos y pasaremos.

- The conjugation of "Volver" seems off. I think volver is reflexive and should be conjugated with me as in: "Me Vuelvo". Even if not reflexive, it still seems off and would seem to be: Vuelvo not Vuelva- unless its being used in some fancy (well to me) subjunctive form? But... still seems off.

- I did not know the term "Chevere". It that Spanish Spanish or Columbian Spanish? Seems to be French in origin. Maybe from the French equivelent to 'Caballero" say something like Chevaliere?

- No matter the language, the reference to no phone signal seems to be tossed in abruptly with out an introduction or explanation.

Any native Spanish speakers here? What do you think?

 

[Cryptic]

Further to that, a Spaniard would not say “te marco”, (I’ll mark you), they’d say *I’ll call you*.

I remember that you are a native Spanish speaker. What do you think of the conjugation of "Volver" as Vuelva?

It seems off to me, but I am not a native speaker. Is Volver reflexive (me Vuelvo)? I know that Spanish verbs have subjunctive forms. Is vuelva a subjunctive type conjugation (too difficult for me)? But.. even with that possibility, it seems off.

As a side note, I have head Puerto Ricans use "te marco" for "I"ll call you" as well.

But.... what do you think about the slang with the seemingly proper- or maybe too proper vocabulary in the rest of the text? For example case de recreo instead of the Columbian slang "finca" for countryside? Conoci a una persona seems very proper as well. How common would that be in a text?

 

[cottonweaver]

She lives on Francisco Silvela, 65 — I see no car park entrances for that building? As for the back street, that is Diego de Leon, which is busy, heavily-transited, with a hospital etc. We’re probably looking at different views. It’s possible Ana’s building does have off-site parking nearby. Websites show conflicting info. Some say no parking, others say the building has 21 spots.

snipped
If you go onto Google Street View and virtually walk up the back of Francisco Silvela - the back street ( running parallel ) has a different name - look left.
To me, looks like there are two vehicular access points ( services for maintenance etc?) into a shared triangular space. ( Space shared by multiple buildings on the triangular site)
(Entries also don't show on that plan view map - hence using satellite combined with street. Apologies for lack of clarity but for example, the hotel behind also has vehicular entry to basement parking but that cannot be seen from a birds eye/ plan view linear map)

Block Parking? No I didn't mean dedicated parking reserved for her block's residents. I just meant public parking spaces both sides of the street - that back street behind.

I'd been looking for any kind of fire exit - a second exit - from her building but that was impossible to find on google views because of the triangular site

 

[cottonweaver]

Do you know how old that page is? Because the building façade looks quite different. On other websites (showing the current façade) I’m seeing the word “videoportero” and no mention of parking. So, basically no more concierge, just an intercom system with video. Also, I’ll note that portero is a much more informal position than ‘concierge’. Many buildings have a portero, s/he will keep an eye out for anything dodgy, of course, but they’ll also mop up, take packages and so on. The one in my building is often out, will take all of august off etc. My point is, if there is still a portero in place, it’s unlikely this person would’ve been in the building on the Friday night in question.

https://belbex.com/detalles/calle-francisco-silvela-65/fh3979/venta/

A previously posted link - an interview with Rameau - already confirmed that there is a somebody but she doesn't work nights.

PS Rameau says she also doesn't speak Spanish so ... pinch of salt... when she's relaying what LE have told her, not told her

 

[Charlot123]

I am fluent to a certain degree in Spanish. But, my fluency is learned and is not native. It would be really interesting to have a native speaker look at it. Some of the grammar / syntax maybe off.

I maybe reading it wrong as learned speakers can be stilted or too grammar focused in any language whereas native speakers just speak naturally. Or, could it depict some one texting in Spanish via a translator?

For example:

- Changes from "we go" to "I will pass" in the same sentence. Perhaps the house owner intends to stay longer. But... the syntax seems to imply the speaker and the house owner making the same trip. If so: Nos vamos y pasaremos.

- The conjugation of "Volver" seems off. I think volver is reflexive and should be conjugated with me as in: "Me Vuelvo". Even if not reflexive, it still seems off and would seem to be: Vuelvo not Vuelva- unless its being used in some fancy (well to me) subjunctive form? But... still seems off.

- I did not know the term "Chevere". It that Spanish Spanish or Columbian Spanish? Seems to be French in origin. Maybe from the French equivelent to 'Caballero" say something like Chevaliere?

- No matter the language, the reference to no phone signal seems to be tossed in abruptly with out an introduction or explanation.

Any native Spanish speakers here? What do you think?

Here would be my questions in general.

- is this Ana’s texting style, in English and in Spanish? (I think, the relatives’ answer was, no).

- is the person sending the texts bilingual, or not? (A bilingual person living mostly in one country may make mistakes and use odd phrases, and yet, one immediately sees the bilingualism.)

( I typed the English text into Google translate and saw the Spanish version that was somewhat different from what “Ana” had sent. But when I ran the Spanish message through GT, I saw a normal English text. I don’t know what to make of it. Maybe it is just English-leaning GT.)

Thinking of the possibility of Ana typing both messages under a threat. Imagine yourself in Ana’s shoes. She is abducted and threatened by a person speaking good English and probably, decent Spanish, but for whom Colombian Spanish is not his mother tongue. What would a woman do? Probably, type the messages in such a way that it would attract attention. Her family would see the accents and understand that it is highly unusual for Ana. Other people would say, by the phrases she uses, it is not Colombian Spanish. But the person checking her message would be happy, all that he sees is that the message is in Spanish and he doesn't notice these tiny oddities.

Could there be some information in these oddities? Would Anna say Chevere? Did she call anyone this way? Or does she use another word for cute? If so, what does Chevere stand for? (The first letters of the person’s first name?)

Or is “2h” her style? If not, could it be a route? Or direction (Henares)?

I wonder if she was trying to send a special message hinting at her situation in such a way?

 

[cottonweaver]

There are millions of dollars at stake. And he is a cybersecurity expert, likely familiar with the Dark Web.

I posted the Sunbiz website to EOX's filings but I didn't dig deeper because I'm not in Florida.
Maybe it's easier for a Floridian on WS to try & check the value of the company or how well they are doing?
Looking at the properties, I wonder if it would mean taking money out of the company?

Ditto, because of Florida's sunshine laws, are there any listings re the divorce?

 

[cottonweaver]

Would also note that I don’t think Serbia extradites its citizens…

snipped

Looks like Serbia has greatly increased its cooperation agreements with EU nations ( like Spain) since they signed in 2019 - should extradition Serbia - Spain be required in the future.

‘The cooperation agreement and the appointment of a Liaison Prosecutor is a superb way to successfully fight crime across borders. My expectations have been fully met. It is a model for Serbian-EU cooperation and protection of the rule of law.’

Serbian cases at Eurojust strongly increase in first year since appointment of Liaison Prosecutor

Serbia has considerably increased judicial cooperation with EU Member States in the first year since the appointment of the Serbian Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust. The total number of newly registered cases with Serbian involvement at the Agency rose by 62.5% in 2020. Today, during the first...

www.eurojust.europa.eu

TBC for anybody browsing WS - am not suggesting her husband is viewed as a suspect - by LE, currently.
There could be lots of PoIs - she's been visiting Spain over a long period and may have crossed paths with many individuals and built up a wide circle

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I'll = I will
why do you find that strange?

Oh it’s nothing major. “I’ll” is a word Spanish people struggle with when speaking English. “I will” far easier for them. I’ve seen this my whole life with my Spanish family, the famous example of Arnie in the Terminator preferring “I will be back” vs “I’ll be back.”

The fact that whoever wrote this uses both versions close together just seems a little odd to me. You would think a native English speaker would be consistently using “I’ll”.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I remember that you are a native Spanish speaker. What do you think of the conjugation of "Volver" as Vuelva?

It seems off to me, but I am not a native speaker. Is Volver reflexive (me Vuelvo)? I know that Spanish verbs have subjunctive forms. Is vuelva a subjunctive type conjugation (too difficult for me)? But.. even with that possibility, it seems off.

As a side note, I have head Puerto Ricans use "te marco" for "I"ll call you" as well.

But.... what do you think about the slang with the seemingly proper- or maybe too proper vocabulary in the rest of the text? For example case de recreo instead of the Columbian slang "finca" for countryside? Conoci a una persona seems very proper as well. How common would that be in a text?

“cuando vuelva” isn’t weird to me necessarily. I think once you deep dive on any short text, it can start to seem odd, irrespective of the author. Also, it’s possible someone was writing in a rush, or simply puts no effort into their texts. But going through the actual text itself;

“Conocí a una persona muy chévere.”

That first line is fine and reads like a Colombian. No Spaniard would say that.

“Tiene una casa de recreo a unas dos horas de Madrid.”

This sentence is weird. The casa de recreo we’ve spoken about. I’m not sure which, if any Spanish-speaking nationality would use that. Happy to be corrected but it smacks of bad google translate to me. Making no assumptions here but does anybody know the Serbian for ‘holiday home’? If it lines up with casa de recreo then I would be suspicious of that…

“Ahora nos vamos y pasaré unos días allí.”

This just feels off to me. Even in English “now we are going and I’ll spend some days there.” It just feels stilted. Maybe because of the switch from “we” to “I”.

“Aunque apenas hay señal. Te marco cuando vuelva.” Again, this feels odd. “There is hardly any signal”. The writer says “is”, implying they’re already there. When it would’ve been just as easy to say “*there’ll* be no signal”. And like I say, Spaniards would be unlikely to say I’ll mark you (dial you) when I get back. They’d say call. The vuelva part I don’t necessarily have an issue with. Though it all just feels off despite the one very Colombian term and the marco at the end not feeling Spanish (from Spain).

 

[indicolite22]

"casa de recreo" could be "kuća za odmor" in Serbian/Croatian (kuća=casa=house, odmor=recreo=recess), meaning vacation home. "odmor" can mean recess or vacation.

"casa de recreo" gives 8.2M hits on Google.

 

[Cryptic]

“Ahora nos vamos y pasaré unos días allí.”

This just feels off to me. Even in English “now we are going and I’ll spend some days there.” It just feels stilted. Maybe because of the switch from “we” to “I”.

I agree about the we to I being strange. I guess its possible if the other party was going to stay longer and she would be returning. But, it seems slighlty off.

I dont know about Columbia, but Mexican Spanish tilts heavily towards voy a pasar, voy a caminar etc. for future tense in casual conversations instead of pasare caminare etc.

Using pasare etc. could be seen as stilted (sounds too formal or slightly old fashioned for use in a text). Seeing pasaremos or quedaremos in letters that I used to receive from Mexican nuns would be a different matter- but a text? It seems off.

All in all, the text seems to be a mix of formal and informal that could support somebody substituting literal terms from their language, using Spanish slang they have heard, but also going to google transate to "fill in the blanks":

- Case de recreo As you said, seems like a literal term translation. Does not fit Spanish as used in Spain nor Columbian Spanish.

- Te marco Columbia slang. Make sense. But then follows slang with formality (at least with the Spanish I am familiar with) by using pasare instead of voy a pasar.

- The "we are going" to "I will stay" switch in the same sentence. Its technically possible. But as you said, sounds off. Then the at least in Mexico, formal sounding pasare but which would sound stilted in a text.

-

 

[FacelessPodcast]

snipped
If you go onto Google Street View and virtually walk up the back of Francisco Silvela - the back street ( running parallel ) has a different name - look left.
To me, looks like there are two vehicular access points ( services for maintenance etc?) into a shared triangular space. ( Space shared by multiple buildings on the triangular site)
(Entries also don't show on that plan view map - hence using satellite combined with street. Apologies for lack of clarity but for example, the hotel behind also has vehicular entry to basement parking but that cannot be seen from a birds eye/ plan view linear map)

Block Parking? No I didn't mean dedicated parking reserved for her block's residents. I just meant public parking spaces both sides of the street - that back street behind.

I'd been looking for any kind of fire exit - a second exit - from her building but that was impossible to find on google views because of the triangular site

Oh, you mean Calle Del General Diaz Porlier? If someone were parked on that street, that’s still 200 metres walking. Google says 2-3 minutes walking. It would be hard to imagine Ana under duress for that distance without anyone at all noticing.

Not sure if those garage entrances share parking spaces with buildings on another street — for example, not sure if you lived on Francisco Silvela, you’d use the General Diaz parking. It’s possible, though. I’m tempted to go to the area and check…

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Here would be my questions in general.

- is this Ana’s texting style, in English and in Spanish? (I think, the relatives’ answer was, no).

- is the person sending the texts bilingual, or not? (A bilingual person living mostly in one country may make mistakes and use odd phrases, and yet, one immediately sees the bilingualism.)

( I typed the English text into Google translate and saw the Spanish version that was somewhat different from what “Ana” had sent. But when I ran the Spanish message through GT, I saw a normal English text. I don’t know what to make of it. Maybe it is just English-leaning GT.)

Thinking of the possibility of Ana typing both messages under a threat. Imagine yourself in Ana’s shoes. She is abducted and threatened by a person speaking good English and probably, decent Spanish, but for whom Colombian Spanish is not his mother tongue. What would a woman do? Probably, type the messages in such a way that it would attract attention. Her family would see the accents and understand that it is highly unusual for Ana. Other people would say, by the phrases she uses, it is not Colombian Spanish. But the person checking her message would be happy, all that he sees is that the message is in Spanish and he doesn't notice these tiny oddities.

Could there be some information in these oddities? Would Anna say Chevere? Did she call anyone this way? Or does she use another word for cute? If so, what does Chevere stand for? (The first letters of the person’s first name?)

Or is “2h” her style? If not, could it be a route? Or direction (Henares)?

I wonder if she was trying to send a special message hinting at her situation in such a way?

My only thought on this is that I’ve personally never seen an English-speaker use the contraction “2h” for 2 hours. Spanish-speakers do, however, such a contraction both for timings and the hour. So, if I meet you at 14h, it’s two o clock etc. But so too would a Spaniard say “it’s a 2h movie” etc