Navy reservist accused of murdering wife and hiding her body in freezer arrested after international manhunt

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A Navy reservist accused of murdering his wife in Virginia and fleeing the country has been arrested and is expected to be extradited to the United States.

David Varela, 38, sparked an international manhunt after the body of Lina Maria Guerra, 39, was found inside a freezer in their Norfolk home on Feb. 5. He was arrested overseas, FBI Director Kash Patel announced.

“More big news today… @FBI is announcing the successful overseas apprehension of David Varela, a 38-year-old Navy reservist who is wanted for first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Lina Guerra,” Patel wrote on X.

“Mr. Varela has been on the run for over two months attempting to avoid prosecution for these heinous crimes, but justice doesn’t forget.”

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Lina Maria Guerra Echavarria with Hong Kong skyline in background

Patel did not specify where Varela was captured, but he was believed to have fled to Hong Kong. Investigators said Varela left the U.S. on or about Feb. 5, the same day Guerra’s body was discovered. She had been reported missing by her brother after he had not heard from her for two weeks.

Detectives had also been unable to reach Varela, an active-duty Navy reservist, and his Navy supervisor told police it was unusual for him not to return calls. Guerra’s death was later ruled a homicide.

Virginia authorities issued two arrest warrants charging Varela with first-degree murder and concealing a dead body. Federal investigators determined Varela boarded a flight to Hong Kong, and emergency disclosure requests from WhatsApp showed location information originating from there.

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Authorities said Varela has family in Colombia but no known ties to Hong Kong or China. Guerra’s loved ones told WTKR-TV that Varela was jealous and barred his wife from working, having friends, or going out alone.

“I want to emphasize that there had been violence before from David,” Guerra’s sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, told the news outlet 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.”

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The news station reported receiving a tip from a woman who said she possibly met Varela in Hong Kong, where he allegedly asked her out.

FBI Director Kash Patel standing at a podium during a press conference in New York City

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“I was in Hong Kong with my friends. We met this man while waiting in line at an attraction,” she told the station through a translator. “He introduced himself as David and said he was looking for a Russian wife.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

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