Navy Reservist Arrested After Wife’s Murder
A Navy reservist who allegedly murdered his wife in Virginia has been apprehended and is set to be extradited back to the United States.
David Barrera, 38, became the focus of an international search following the discovery of his wife, Lina Maria Guerra, 39, in a freezer at their Norfolk home on February 5. The FBI announced that he was captured while abroad.
FBI Director Kash Patel shared the news on X, saying, “More big news today… the @FBI is announcing the successful arrest overseas of David Varela, a 38-year-old Navy reservist wanted on first-degree murder charges regarding his wife’s death.” He added, “Mr. Barrera has been on the run for over two months trying to evade justice, but justice has not been forgotten.”
Barrera’s exact location at the time of his arrest wasn’t disclosed. However, he is believed to have fled to Hong Kong soon after Guerra’s body was found. Guerra was reported missing by her brother shortly before her body was discovered, after he hadn’t heard from her for two weeks.
Investigators struggled to get in touch with Barrera, which wasn’t typical, according to his Navy superiors. The medical examination later confirmed Guerra’s death was a homicide.
Authorities in Virginia have issued two warrants for Barrera, charging him with first-degree murder and concealing a corpse. It was determined that he boarded a flight to Hong Kong right after Guerra’s death, and his warning signal via WhatsApp reportedly showed his whereabouts.
While officials noted that Barrera has family in Colombia, they stated he lacks known connections to Hong Kong or China. Witnesses close to Guerra mentioned that Varela displayed jealousy, restricting her work, friendships, and outings alone.
“I want to stress that David has assaulted me before,” Guerra’s sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, noted through an interpreter. “He had hit her before, but she kept it from us to avoid worry. He seemed quite normal, very religious, and calm, which makes this shocking. We never expected him to do something like this.”
In an interesting twist, a woman claimed she might have met Varela in Hong Kong while trying to enjoy a day out with friends.
She recounted, “I was in Hong Kong with my friends and we encountered this man while waiting in line for an attraction. He introduced himself as David and mentioned he was looking for a Russian wife.”
Efforts to reach the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for further comment were made following these revelations.
