A Navy reservist, David Barrera, 38, is suspected of murdering his wife in Virginia and is believed to have fled to Hong Kong, as detailed in an FBI affidavit. Authorities discovered his wife’s body, Lina Maria Guerra Echavarria, 39, in the freezer of their Norfolk home on February 5, the same day Barrera reportedly left the country.
Guerra was reported missing after her brother hadn’t heard from her for over two weeks. Detectives faced difficulties reaching Barrera, which was noted as atypical by his Navy superiors.
An autopsy determined that Guerra’s death was a homicide, prompting Virginia officials to issue warrants for Barrera for concealing a corpse and first-degree murder.
Investigations indicated that Barrera boarded a flight to Hong Kong, with location data emerging from an emergency WhatsApp message. Interestingly, while he has family in Colombia, he has no known connections to Hong Kong or China.
In response, federal authorities filed a warrant for his arrest, implying he fled Virginia to evade prosecution. They’ve also completed extradition paperwork in connection with an Interpol Red Notice.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is collaborating with Norfolk police on this case, and the FBI has expressed its commitment to supporting local law enforcement in bringing justice for violent crimes, no matter where suspects might attempt to escape.
As of now, police have not disclosed a motive, emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing.
