Alleged Wife Killer’s Shocking Search for a New Partner Uncovered: A Disturbing Twist in Ongoing Investigation

A man charged with the murder of his wife, whose body was found in a freezer at their Virginia apartment, is now reportedly seeking a new partner. This startling development comes as David Varela, 38, awaits trial for the first-degree murder of 39-year-old Lina Guerra, a case that has captivated attention far beyond the local community.

In February, the Norfolk Police Department formally announced the charges against Varela, which include not only murder but also the concealment of a body to evade detection, according to details from a federal affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime. This case has drawn significant attention, partly due to the international efforts involved in apprehending Varela.

The saga began when authorities responded to a call on February 5 from Guerra’s brother, who had grown concerned after weeks of no contact with his sister. The police arrived at the Icon Norfolk Apartments on East Main Street in Norfolk, Virginia, where they made the grim discovery.

Further complicating matters, Varela, a reservist with the U.S. Navy, had also been unresponsive to his superiors, a departure from his usual conduct, according to the affidavit. This unusual behavior contributed to the urgency of the search that ultimately spanned thousands of miles, culminating in Varela’s arrest by federal authorities.

Authorities learned that her husband, Varela, was an active reservist with the U.S. Navy and was reportedly not responding to calls from his immediate supervisor, which was “unusual behavior for him.”

Officers searched the apartment and found Guerra dead in the kitchen freezer, according to court documents. Her cellphone was in the residence, while Varela’s Tesla was outside in the parking lot.

Authorities conducted an autopsy and ruled that Guerra’s manner of death was homicide by way of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Detectives learned, with assistance from federal authorities, that Varela boarded a flight to Hong Kong “on or about Feb. 5, 2026,” with WhatsApp location data “originating” there as well, according to the affidavit.

Investigators also learned that Varela had family in Colombia, though they did not see “any discernible ties” to Hong Kong or China.

Five days after finding Guerra’s body, authorities charged Varela with murder. And on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that Varela was apprehended.

“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 said.

Guerra also has family in Colombia, and they told Norfolk CBS affiliate WTKR that Varela displayed abusive behavior in the past, such as not allowing her to have a job, have friends, or leave their home alone. He also had allegedly been physically abusive.

“He had hit her previously, but she didn’t tell us because she didn’t want to worry us,” said Guerra’s sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, through a translator. “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.”

On Friday, the regional outlet said it received a message from a woman in Russia saying she suspected she and her friend had met Varela in Hong Kong.

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

When the woman continued talking with the man — alleged to be Varela, who even reportedly planned a trip for her to visit him again — her friend looked him up and found U.S. reports that he was wanted.

“What we saw shocked us and we decided to get in touch with you,” the woman said, providing two phone numbers she said were his. When the outlet’s investigative reporter used Telegram to call him via video, they said a man who seemed to be Varela picked up.

Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi has previously expressed his desire to extradite Varela to Virginia to face his charges.