Woman's death ruled homicide, Roger Brown’s bought out, Epstein files hearing: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Woman's death ruled homicide, Roger Brown’s bought out, Epstein files hearing

1. The death of 39-year-old Lina Guerra, who was reported missing on Feb. 4, has been ruled a homicide, Norfolk police said Wednesday.

   Death of missing woman found in Norfolk ruled a homicide

   Virginia State Police issued a Critically Missing Adult Alert for Guerra last week. Deputies say she was last seen on Jan. 16 near the 300 Block of E. Main Street.

   While investigating the case, detectives located an unresponsive woman later identified as Lina Guerra, at a home in the 300 block of E Main St.

   Guerra was pronounced dead at the scene, and the matter was classified as an undetermined death. The autopsy conducted by the Chief Medical Examiner on Tuesday determined Guerra's cause of death to be a homicide.

   News 3 investigator Margaret Kavanagh connected with Guerra's family in Colombia on Wednesday, who told her through a translator that Guerra was a rock for their family, and that she was a great sister and aunt.
   

2. Roger Brown’s Restaurant and Sports Bar has been purchased by Lightwell Development, whose owner said plans call for a mix of restaurant and residential space at the site.

   Developer plans apartments, restaurant space for former Roger Brown’s site in Portsmouth

   The Portsmouth sports bar closed after 25 years in business following Super Bowl LX.
   Tim Foley, owner and principal of Lightwell Development, said his firm acquired the building after restaurant partners approached him and architects developed preliminary design plans.

   According to design documents submitted to the city’s Downtown Design Committee, the first floor will remain restaurant space in the front of the building, with apartment units planned for the rear. Additional residential units are planned for the upper floors.

   The redevelopment of the Roger Brown’s building is part of a broader investment in downtown Portsmouth. Foley said he also purchased 330 County St., where he plans to create 23 apartment units, in total adding about 50 market-rate units and bringing an estimated 75 residents to the downtown area.

   Foley is from Virginia but now works out of New York City. He's previously invested $15 million in several old buildings in Portsmouth.
   

3. Attorney General Pam Bondi deflected from Epstein files, defending the Justice Department’s handling of the files.

   Attorney General Pam Bondi faces questions from lawmakers over Epstein files

   Attorney General Pam Bondi launched into a wide-ranging, passionate defense of President Donald Trump, repeatedly shouting at Democrats during a combative hearing in which she postured herself as the Republican's chief protector and tried to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

   Besieged by questions over Epstein and accusations of a weaponized Justice Department, Bondi aggressively pivoted in an extraordinary speech in which she mocked her Democratic questioners, praised Trump over the performance of the stock market and openly aligned herself as in sync with a president whom she painted as a victim of past impeachments and investigations.

   “You sit here and you attack the president and I’m not going to have it," Bondi said. "I am not going to put up with it.”

   With victims of Epstein sitting behind her in the hearing room, Bondi defended the department's handling of the files related to the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation that have dogged her tenure. But she repeatedly refused to directly answer questions from Democrats who have accused her of perpetuating a coverup and ignoring victims.

   Bondi’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee comes a year into her tumultuous tenure that has amplified concerns that the Justice Department is using its law enforcement powers to target political foes of the president.
   

This morning's weather: Sunny & cooler today, Rain returns this weekend

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says it will be sunny, cooler, and breezy today. Highs will only reach the mid 40s today, cooler than yesterday and below normal for this time of year. We will see lots of sunshine with a NW wind at 10 to15 mph.

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

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