NORFOLK, Va. — David Varela, the 38-year-old Norfolk Navy reservist accused of murdering his wife Lina Guerra and stuffing her body in a freezer before fleeing the country to Hong Kong, will have a competency evaluation by a doctor before his charges move to trial.
Authorities believe Varela killed his Guerra, 39, 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.
Watch our True Crime 757 podcast episode about the apprehension of David Varela
In court Tuesday morning, Varela appeared in person as his court-appointed lawyer asked the judge for a competency hearing.
News 3's cameras captured Varela in person for the first time Tuesday. As he walked into the courtroom, he stared directly into the camera for several seconds before sitting down.
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.
Varela was identified through various electronic methods as the last person seen leaving the apartment, according to US Marshals.
Norfolk
Everything we know about the Norfolk Navy Reservist accused in his wife's murder
The judge asked Varela's lawyer Tuesday if he was concerned about his client's ability to comprehend his circumstances, and the attorney said yes. Varela will now be evaluated in the Norfolk City Jail prior to his next scheduled court date on July 21.
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