While searching a Virginia home a missing woman shared with her husband, officers found her body inside the kitchen’s freezer, court documents say
The discovery was made by Norfolk police on February 5, three days after Lina M. Guerra’s brother reported her missing on February 2, according to police and an affidavit written by a special agent with the FBI and obtained by Us Weekly. Guerra is also known as Lina Maria Guerra Echavarria.
The affidavit supports a federal criminal complaint filed on Thursday, February 12, that charges Guerra’s husband, David Varela, 38, with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The same day Guerra, 39, was found dead in the freezer, Homeland Security Investigations discovered that Varela – an active duty U.S. Navy Reservist – fled the U.S. on a flight to Hong Kong, according to the affidavit.
Varela, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Guerra, 39, the Norfolk Police Department said in a February 12 news release. Her death has been ruled a homicide.
He is also charged with concealing a dead body to prevent detection, according to the affidavit.
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It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation to comment on his behalf.
Guerra’s brother reported her as missing after he could not reach her for more than two weeks, according to the affidavit, which says that Norfolk police detectives “had previously been unable to get in contact with Varela or [Guerra].”
Guerra’s family confirmed to WAVY-TV that she and Varela got married after meeting two years ago in Florida. Varela was stationed in Florida as a sailor before he relocated to Virginia with Guerra for work, according to her family.
The day police executed a search warrant at Varela and Guerra’s Norfolk home on February 5, Varela had not answered calls from a chief petty officer, who was his “immediate supervisor,” the FBI agent wrote in the affidavit.
Varela’s supervisor told “detectives that this is unusual behavior for him, as Varela is known to promptly return calls,” the affidavit says.
In addition to finding Guerra’s body inside the kitchen freezer, officers also found her cell phone inside the house and Varela’s vehicle parked outside, according to the filing.
WhatsApp location data has linked Varela to Hong Kong, the affidavit says.
The FBI agent wrote in the filing that “Varela has family in [Colombia] but does not have any discernible ties to Hong Kong or China.”
“Varela has not reported to duty, as required, nor has he returned any phone calls to [his immediate supervisor] as of the time of this writing,” the filing continues.
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Guerra’s aunt, Elizabeth Echavarria, told WAVY-TV that her niece is originally from Colombia.
“It’s horrible, horrible,” her aunt said of her death.
Guerra’s autopsy results were still pending as of February 12, according to the affidavit.
It is unclear how she died or why Varela allegedly killed her, as Norfolk detectives have not shared a potential motive.
Authorities are continuing to pursue his arrest and prosecution as he is suspected of being overseas.
