Navy reservist caught following murder of wife, whose body was found in freezer
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- David Varela, a 38-year-old Navy reservist from Virginia, was arrested in Hong Kong after a two-month international manhunt for the alleged murder of his wife, Lina M. Guerra.
- Guerra, 39, was reported missing on February 4, and her body was later discovered inside a freezer in their Norfolk apartment; her death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
- Varela faces a first-degree murder charge and was extradited to San Francisco, where he is expected to appear before a judge.
- FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that Varela had been evading prosecution but was ultimately captured, while Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi expressed cautious relief at the arrest.
- Prior to the discovery of her body, Guerra was the subject of a critical missing adult alert issued by Virginia State Police due to concerns for her safety.
