Family seeks justice after Lina M. Guerra Echavarria found in freezer

The family of Lina M. Guerra Echavarria, a 39-year-old Virginia woman allegedly murdered by her husband, faces a harrowing ordeal as they attempt to reclaim her remains.

Following a missing person report filed by her brother on 2 February, Norfolk investigators discovered the body of Mrs Echavarria inside a kitchen freezer on 5 February.

Her death was subsequently ruled a homicide. On 12 February, the Norfolk Police Department identified her husband, 38-year-old David Varela, as the suspect.

However, Mr Varela remains at large, with Homeland Security Investigations suggesting he may have fled to Hong Kong.

Residing in Colombia, the victim’s relatives are navigating significant bureaucratic and linguistic barriers.

"We have tried to communicate with the funeral home there, but from here it is a little complicated. We want them brought here, so we can hold a ceremony for her," explained sister-in-law Paola Ramirez to WTKR.

The family also seeks clarity regarding Mrs Echavarria’s possessions and her beloved dogs. Amidst their grief, they question the suspect’s conscience.

"Sometimes we sit and talk and wonder what his life is like — whether he can sleep, whether he is living normally as if nothing happened," Mrs Ramirez added. "It is very difficult to fill that emptiness. We miss her every day."

Before these events, the family alleged Mr Varela exhibited jealous behaviour, even claiming Mrs Echavarria was jailed for shoplifting to explain her absence—a claim court records later refuted.

Currently, the FBI and NCIS continue to assist Norfolk authorities in the ongoing effort to locate and extradite the suspect.