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

A Navy reservist accused of murdering his woman successful Virginia and fleeing the state has been arrested and is expected to beryllium extradited to the United States.

David Varela, 38, sparked an planetary manhunt aft the assemblage of Lina Maria Guerra, 39, was recovered wrong a freezer successful their Norfolk location connected Feb. 5. He was arrested overseas, FBI Director Kash Patel announced.

"More large quality today… @FBI is announcing the palmy overseas apprehension of David Varela, a 38-year-old Navy reservist who is wanted for first-degree execution successful transportation with the decease of his wife, Lina Guerra," Patel wrote connected X. "Mr. Varela has been connected the tally for implicit 2 months attempting to debar prosecution for these heinous crimes, but justness doesn’t forget."

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Lina Maria Guerra, 39, had been reported missing by her member connected Feb. 2, 2026. (Paul Yeung/Bloomberg)

Patel did not specify wherever Varela was captured, but helium was believed to person fled to Hong Kong. Investigators said Varela near the U.S. connected oregon astir Feb. 5, the aforesaid time Guerra’s assemblage was discovered. She had been reported missing by her member aft helium had not heard from her for 2 weeks.

Detectives had besides been incapable to scope Varela, an active-duty Navy reservist, and his Navy supervisor told constabulary it was antithetic for him not to instrumentality calls. Guerra’s decease was aboriginal ruled a homicide.

Virginia authorities issued 2 apprehension warrants charging Varela with first-degree execution and concealing a dormant body. Federal investigators determined Varela boarded a formation to Hong Kong, and exigency disclosure requests from WhatsApp showed determination accusation originating from there.

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Lina Maria Guerra was recovered dormant successful her Norfolk, Virginia location connected Feb. 5, 2026. (Norfolk Police Department)

Authorities said Varela has household successful Colombia but nary known ties to Hong Kong oregon China. Guerra’s loved ones told WTKR-TV that Varela was jealous and barred his woman from working, having friends, oregon going retired alone.

"I privation to stress that determination had been unit earlier from David," Guerra’s sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, told the quality outlet done a translator. "He had deed her previously, but she didn’t archer america due to the fact that she didn’t privation to interest us. He appeared to beryllium precise religious, precise calm, normal—that’s wherefore this is truthful shocking. We ne'er imagined he’d bash thing similar this."

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The quality presumption reported receiving a extremity from a pistillate who said she perchance met Varela successful Hong Kong, wherever helium allegedly asked her out.

FBI Director Kash Patel stands silently during a property league connected Oct. 23, 2025, successful New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty)

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"I was successful Hong Kong with my friends. We met this antheral portion waiting successful enactment astatine an attraction," she told the presumption done a translator. "He introduced himself arsenic David and said helium was looking for a Russian wife."

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