Navy Murder Case

Virginia Judge Certifies Murder Case Against Navy Man for Wife's Death

David Varela, a Navy electrician accused of beating his wife, Lina Maria Guerra Echavarria, before wrapping her in plastic wrap and storing her body in the freezer of their Norfolk apartment. The case was certified by a Norfolk judge after a probable cause hearing. The half-brother of Guerra filed a missing persons report on her behalf after her frequent calls to him went unanswered for several weeks. Detective James Natiello found Guerra's body wrapped in layers of plastic wrap, frozen solid inside the freezer. The autopsy revealed that Guerra died from a combination of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Vareala was charged with first degree murder and concealment of a dead body for his wife's murder, leading to a months-long federal manhunt.