Death investigation update, ICE facility pushback, Jesse Jackson dead at 84: Sunrise Brief

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TOP STORIES: Death investigation update, ICE facility pushback, Jesse Jackson dead at 84

1. Lina Guerra, the 39-year-old Norfolk woman reported missing at the beginning of February, was discovered by Norfolk police in the kitchen freezer after her husband, 38-year-old David Varela, allegedly killed her and flew to Hong Kong, according to an affidavit from the FBI.

   Lina Guerra's body was found in the kitchen freezer — as her husband flew to Hong Kong: Affidavit

   Police say Varela flew to Hong Kong on Feb. 5, the day after Guerra was reported missing. Norfolk Police are working with NCIS, Homeland Security and the FBI in the search for Varela, who is a reservist on active duty with the U.S. Navy. Authorities have not reached him since his departure. Speaking with News 3 Wednesday through a translator, Paola Ramirez, who is married to Guerra’s brother and lives in Colombia, said Varela was a jealous husband.

   “I want to emphasize that there had been violence before from David,” Ramirez told News 3 through a translator.

   Guerra’s family says she was empathetic, loving, and always worried about others. “Lina was the pillar of our family,” Ramirez said.

   Varela has been charged with first-degree murder and concealing a dead body, police say. Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi is seeking to extradite Varela back to the U.S. to face the charges.
   

2. Community members packed the Hertford County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night to voice opposition to the possibility of an ICE detention facility opening at the empty Rivers Correctional Facility in Winton, North Carolina.

   Community responds forcefully to potential ICE detention facility in N.C.

   The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina recently uncovered documents showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering opening a detention facility at the site, which has sat empty since 2021. The correctional facility is privately owned by The GEO Group Inc., which did not respond to a request for comment from News 3. All speakers except for one spoke against the facility partnering with ICE, and Commissioners said there has been no communication with anyone involved.

   "They're a private institution they can do what they want. If our opinions are for or against it really doesn't matter," Commissioner Leroy Douglas, II, said.

   In a statement to News 3, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said they have no new centers to announce but added, "It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space."

   Some attendees traveled from other parts of North Carolina but said they're prepared to return if needed. "We want to show them that we will show up no matter how far it is especially if this opens we will be back to show our opposition," said Susan Hudson.
   

3. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the famed civil rights leader who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and later ran for president, has died at 84, his family says.

   Jackson was hospitalized for observation in November, and doctors said he'd been diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy. He revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which affects the nervous system and slowly restricts movement and daily activities. Jackson called it a "physical challenge," but he refused to let it prevent him from continuing his civil rights advocacy.

   Jackson's "unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless ... leaving an indelible mark on history," his family said.

   Jackson was a key leader for the civil rights movement. After his graduation, he left his studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary to join King in Selma. There, he asked for a position with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a group of religious leaders led by King that focused on nonviolent protests and demonstrations, according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

   Following King's death, Jackson was unable to reconcile with the SCLC. Instead, he founded PUSH, a Chicago organization whose name stands for People United to Save Humanity. In 1984, he also founded The Rainbow Coalition, which focused on social justice through voter engagement and representation. The two organizations merged in 1996. The same ambition that chafed SCLC leaders also led Jackson to make a run for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 1984 and 1988.

This morning's weather: Warming to the 50s and 60s, Rain later this week

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says a gloomy start to the day with clouds and fog this morning. We will return to sunshine by midday with temperatures warming to the upper 50s, about 15 degrees warmer than yesterday.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

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