Family struggles to retrieve ashes of woman found in freezer

The family of a Virginia woman allegedly murdered and found inside a kitchen freezer says they are now facing an additional painful struggle—trying to access her ashes and personal belongings as the investigation continues.

Lina M. Guerra Echavarria, 39, was reported missing on Feb. 2 in Norfolk after her brother raised the alarm, according to an arrest affidavit. 

Just days later, on Feb. 5, investigators discovered her body inside a freezer at her home. Her death was later ruled a homicide.

Authorities charged her husband, 38-year-old David Varela, with murder, according to a Feb. 12 statement from police. 

However, he has not been arrested, with investigators alleging he fled the country shortly after the incident.

The Norfolk Police Department has not provided recent updates on the case.

Now, Echavarria’s family—who live in Colombia—say they are struggling to recover her ashes and bring them home for a proper funeral.

“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,” her sister-in-law Paola Ramirez told WTKR through a translator.

She added that distance and language barriers have made the process even more difficult, leaving the family feeling cut off during their time of grief.

“It is very difficult to fill that emptiness. We miss her every day,” Ramirez said, describing the emotional toll of her loss.

The family also said they are seeking answers about Echavarria’s personal belongings and the whereabouts of her dogs, claiming they were told one may have died.

Ramirez said the family continues to grapple with unanswered questions about Varela, including whether he will ever face justice.

“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,” she said.

Earlier accounts from relatives described Varela as a jealous husband, and they alleged he attempted to mislead them by claiming Echavarria had been jailed on shoplifting charges. 

The family said he even sent a photo appearing to show her in an orange prison jumpsuit, claims later contradicted by court records, according to local reporting.

Investigators have since indicated that Varela may have fled to Hong Kong, based on information from federal agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, according to the arrest affidavit.