The Navy reservist who sparked an international manhunt when he fled the country after being accused of murdering his wife at their Virginia home has been arrested.
David Varela, 38, is expected to be extradited to the United States after FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X Wednesday that he had been apprehended overseas, months after allegedly stuffing his wife’s body in a freezer and fleeing to Hong Kong the same day she was discovered.
“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 said.
David Varela was arrested overseas after he allegedly murdered his wife and stuffed her body in a freezer at their Virginia home in February, 2026. 13newsnow“Mr. Varela has been on the run for over two months attempting to avoid prosecution for these heinous crimes, but justice doesn’t forget.”
Patel did not specify where Varela was captured, though authorities believed he had fled to Hong Kong.
Guerra’s brother reported his sister missing in late January after her family had not heard from her since Jan. 16.
Her body was found inside a freezer in the couple’s Norfolk home on Feb. 5 — the same day Varela fled the country.
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Feb. 10 ruled her death a homicide.
Lina Maria Guerra, 39, was found inside a freezer in their Norfolk home on Feb. 5. WTKRInvestigators with Homeland Security, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the FBI believe Varela fled on a flight to Hong Kong “on or about Feb. 5, 2026.” Emergency disclosure requests to WhatsApp later revealed location data pinging from Hong Kong.
NCIS said Varela has family in Colombia but “does not have any discernible ties to Hong Kong or China.”
The accused killer also failed to answer repeated calls from his chain of command after Guerra’s body was discovered, which superiors told detectives was out of character for him.
While on the run, the Norfolk Police Department charged Varela with first-degree murder and concealing a dead body to prevent detection.
Guerra’s sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, said the family had long feared for Guerra’s safety, alleging Varela had been violent and jealous and would not let her work, have friends, study or go out alone.
“I want to emphasize that there had been violence before from David,” Ramirez previously told WTKR.
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. WTKR
Authorities said Varela has family in Colombia but no known ties to Hong Kong or China. WTKR“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 enlisted in the Navy in 2007 and served in at least six states, earning multiple awards and decorations during his military career.
If found guilty of first-degree murder, Varela faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 20 years.
