articleA Navy reservist on active duty accused of murdering his wife in Virginia is believed to have fled to Hong Kong , according to a federal affidavit filed by the FBI. Following their investigation, Virginia authorities issued two arrest warrants charging Varela with concealing a dead body to prevent detection and first-degree murder. Homeland Security Investigations determined the Navy reservist took a flight to Hong Kong, and emergency disclosure requests from WhatsApp showed location information originating from there. (Paul Yeung/Bloomberg via Getty Images)The affidavit notes Varela has family in Colombia but no known ties to Hong Kong or China. Federal authorities have since sought an arrest warrant alleging he fled Virginia to avoid prosecution.

Source: Fox News February 21, 2026 13:53 UTC