NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy reservist accused of killing his wife before fleeing the country is set to appear in court again on Thursday.
A judge will decide whether 38-year-old David Varela can be granted bond during a hearing on Thursday. He appeared in court on May 26 when his court-appointed lawyer asked the judge for a competency hearing, which was granted. Varela will be evaluated in the Norfolk City Jail before his charges move to trial.
Watch our True Crime 757 podcast episode about the apprehension of David Varela
Authorities believe Varela killed his wife, 39-year-old Lina Guerra, sometime between Jan. 15 and Feb. 5, 2026, put her body in a black plastic bag, and stuffed it in the drawer freezer in their apartment in the Icon building in downtown Norfolk. Police would later share that Varela took a flight to Hong Kong on Feb. 5.
After receiving a tip from Russian women who said they met Varela in Hong Kong, News 3 Investigator Margaret Kavanagh reached out to him in a video call via an encrypted messaging service; he answered the call, but quickly covered the camera and refused to answer questions. Less than a week later, two months since he fled, he was captured and extradited back to the U.S.
Norfolk
Everything we know about the Norfolk Navy Reservist accused in his wife's murder
Varela was identified through various electronic methods as the last person seen leaving the apartment, according to US Marshals.
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