What to Know
Lina Maria Guerra Echavarria’s family had not heard from her in weeks and became concerned for her well-being. Her brother reported her missing on February 2, 2026, and three days later, police made a startling discovery at their Norfolk, Virginia, home, which she shared with her husband, 38-year-old David Varela. Investigators found the 39-year-old’s body wrapped in plastic inside a freezer. The search for Varela began, who put the police on an international manhunt. The FBI located him on April 15, and he now faces murder charges.
The couple apparently had a tumultuous past.
Guerra’s family, who live in Colombia, South America, became concerned when they did not hear from her, according to WTKR. According to her sister-in-law, Paola Ramírez, Varela allegedly told them Guerra had been arrested for shoplifting. But the news outlet could not find any court documents substantiating the claim.
Ramirez told WTKR that Guerra and Varela had a history of domestic issues.
“I want to emphasize that there had been violence before from David,” Ramirez explained through a translator. “He had hit her previously, but she didn’t tell us because she didn’t want to worry us. He appeared to be very religious, very calm, normal, that’s why this is so shocking; we never imagined he’d do something like this.”
Varela fled to Hong Kong.
According to a release from the U.S. Marshals Service, Varela allegedly murdered Guerra sometime between January 16 and February 5, 2026. He was stationed in Norfolk as part of the U.S. Navy Reserve. He apparently killed his wife and then fled the country.
The Norfolk Police Department approached the U.S. Marshals Service for help finding Varela. With the agency’s assistance, the agency tracked him down in Hong Kong and took him into custody on April 14.
New evidence shows Guerra might have died inside the freezer.
When investigators found Guerra’s body, she was frozen solid inside a plastic trash bag, according to WTKR. It reportedly took the medical examiner several days to thaw her body. Officials ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
New evidence reportedly shows Guerra evidently had seven layers of plastic wrapped around her head. She may have been alive when Varela allegedly put her body into the freezer.
Varela claims he’s innocent.
According to WAVY, though Varela claims no responsibility for his wife’s death, his attorneys want a proper mental health evaluation. Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fateh told the news station that it is well within his rights.
“If a defense lawyer says they need their client evaluated, by law and by our Constitution, he is entitled to be evaluated,” Fateh said.
He added that he will work with his team to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Varela killed Guerra.
“That is what trials are for, and that is what the trial process is for … for us to demonstrate our evidence and to overcome that presumption of innocence,” he added.
Varela hoped to leave Virginia to stay in Florida with his mother, but a judge denied his plea. He faces a first-degree murder charge and a charge of concealing a dead body in connection with Guerra’s death.
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