Varela arrested, VB city to vote on Oceanfront curfew, Live Nation trial verdict: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Varela arrested, VB city to vote on Oceanfront curfew, Live Nation trial verdict

1. David Varela — the man who set off an international manhunt after allegedly murdering his wife in Norfolk — has been apprehended after being recently spotted in Hong Kong, and will be extradited back to the United States.

   David Varela, who fled US following wife's murder, arrested and extradited, Lina's family says

   The active Navy Reservist was wanted for first-degree murder and concealment of a body after police found the body of his wife, 39-year-old Lina Guerra, stuffed in the freezer inside the Icon apartment they shared in downtown Norfolk on February 5. Guerra was reported missing by Norfolk Police at the end of January after her family did not hear from her for several days. Her body was discovered days later, but by then, Varela was gone. This prompted an international manhunt to bring him back to the U.S. to face justice.

   On Friday, April 10, the WTKR Digital Team got a tip from a woman in Russia saying she believed she and a friend met Varela in Hong Kong. Through translations, the woman said, “I was in Hong Kong with my friends. We met this man while waiting in line at an attraction. He introduced himself as David and said he was looking for a Russian wife.” When her friend looked him up on Google, she found WTKR's coverage of the case. “What we saw shocked us and we decided to get in touch with you," she said. "Maybe this will help find him.”

   Guerra's family in Colombia, South America, who have spoken to News 3 investigative reporter Margaret Kavanagh several times since Lina's death, first confirmed the news Wednesday afternoon. Speaking with Kavanagh via text in Spanish, Lina's sister-in-law Paolo Ramirez said the detective covering the case informed the family about his capture. Ramirez also asked Kavanagh to please continue covering the case when he is back in Virginia to face the Norfolk charges. "We need to see him handcuffed," Ramirez said.

2. City leaders in Virginia Beach could vote Thursday on a proposal to impose a 9 p.m. curfew at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront including people ages 18 and older on the remaining Fridays and Saturdays in April, following recent violence in the area.

   Oceanfront businesses concerned as VB city leaders weigh 9 p.m. curfew

   City leaders proposed the idea at Tuesday's city council meeting following a shooting that happened at the Oceanfront last weekend. City officials say the proposed curfew would include several exemptions, including for people traveling to or from work, responding to emergencies, staying at Oceanfront hotels, returning home from restaurants, or attending gatherings protected under the First Amendment. “It starts at 9 p.m., but there’s a lot of exceptions. It’s not blanket-wide,” said Councilman Worth Remick.

   The proposal has drawn mixed reactions from Oceanfront businesses, some of which say the change could affect customer traffic during peak evening hours. Amanda Marano of Karma Skate Shop said she has already noticed changes in customer behavior since the city implemented a 7 p.m. curfew for those under age 18 — a restriction that would remain in place if the new curfew is approved. “I think it definitely does deter people from being out after that because they do think that maybe there’s a reason that curfew is in and maybe their safety is jeopardized,” she said.

   Even with the concerns, some businesses said they support efforts to address safety issues ahead of the summer season. “I’d rather see them correct it now and enjoy the rest of the summer,” said Rachel Cook, manager of Jungle Golf near 23rd Street and Pacific Avenue. “It can’t stay the way that it is.” City leaders are expected to take public input before the vote scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.

3. A jury has found that concert giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues, dealing the company a loss in a lawsuit over claims brought by dozens of U.S. states.

   A Manhattan federal jury deliberated for four days before reaching its decision Wednesday in the closely watched case. Live Nation Entertainment owns, operates, controls booking for or has an equity interest in hundreds of venues. Its subsidiary Ticketmaster is widely considered to be the world’s largest ticket-seller for live events. The civil case, initially led by the U.S. federal government, accused Live Nation of using its reach to smother competition — by blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers, for example.

   Live Nation insisted it's not a monopoly, saying that artists, sports teams and venues decide prices and ticketing practices. A company lawyer insisted its size was simply a function of excellence and effort. “Success is not against the antitrust laws in the United States,” attorney David Marriott said in his summation. Ticketmaster was established in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010. The company now controls of 86% of the market for concerts and 73% of the overall market when sports events are included, according to Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney for the states.

   The Justice Department, joined by dozens of states, brought the current lawsuit during Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration. Days into the trial, Republican President Donald Trump's administration announced it was settling its claims against Live Nation. The deal included a cap on service fees at some amphitheaters, plus some new ticket-selling options for promoters and venues — potentially allowing, but not requiring, them to open doors to Ticketmaster competitors such as SeatGeek or AXS. The settlement doesn't force Live Nation to split from Ticketmaster.

This morning's weather: Near 90 degrees again today, Tracking rain for the weekend

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says mild again this morning with temperatures in the upper 60s. Highs near 90 again today, about 20 degrees above normal for this time of year. Expect mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies with a SW wind at 10 to 15 mph with higher gusts.

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

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