True Crime 757

WTKR News 3

True Crime 757 gives a deeper, behind-the-scenes look into the stories covered by WTKR News 3 with host Maddie Miller, lead investigator Margaret Kavanagh, and other guests. Each episode covers a true crime story from the Hampton Roads region: who was involved, the status of the case, and more about what went into reporting and airing those stories.

  1. Former Richneck assistant principal Ebony Parker's felony child neglect case heads to court years after 6-year-old student shot Abby Zwerner

    MAY 12

    Former Richneck assistant principal Ebony Parker's felony child neglect case heads to court years after 6-year-old student shot Abby Zwerner

    As a jury handed down a verdict last November in Abby Zwerner's lawsuit against Ebony Parker, the former Richneck Elementary assistant principal — who prosecutors say ignored warnings that the 6-year-old student had a gun and threatened to use it — appeared stoic and did not react. Zwerner had waited nearly three years for the verdict that found Parker grossly negligent on Jan. 6, 2023, the Zwerner's first-grade student pulled out a gun and shot her in the chest, nearly killing her. The jury recommended an award of $10 million for Zwerner — a large sum, but a quarter of what her attorneys had asked for. But Parker's day time court did not end with the civil trial: criminal charges awaited in another trial initially meant to start later in November; it was ultimately pushed out to mid-May to give her team more time to prepare. Ebony Parker faces eight counts of felony child neglect — one for each bullet in the gun brought by the child into the classroom on that day. (Note: None of the students in the classroom were harmed, and the child's mother was previously convicted of the same charge for allowing the child access to the gun.) When her trial begins on May 18, prosecutors will try to prove to a new jury, with a higher legal burden, that Parker's "willful act or omission in the care of [children] was so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life." Parker's defense team will seek to convince the jury otherwise. On this episode of the True Crime 757 podcast, Jon talks with Norfolk-based criminal defense and personal injury attorney Eric Korslund about the facts of the case, what to expect in jury selection, how each side may argue it's key points, and the impact of the lawsuit outcome on the criminal case. This episode of True Crime 757 was produced and edited by Jon Sham. It was directed by Noah Kim and is based on reporting by Kelsey Jones, Ellen Ice, Colter Anstaettt, and Erin Holly. True Crime 757 is sponsored by ⁠Korslund Law⁠.

    33 min
  2. As a shooter opened fire in the classroom, ODU ROTC cadet credits Lt. Col. Brandon Shah for saving his life

    MAY 6

    As a shooter opened fire in the classroom, ODU ROTC cadet credits Lt. Col. Brandon Shah for saving his life

    As a gunman opened fire on an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University the morning of March 12, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah charged in and was shot three times before he took the shooter to the ground. Tragically, Shah died later that day at the hospital. But those who remember his heroism, including ROTC cadet and graduating senior Jah-Ire Urtarte, credit his quick action and bravery for saving his life — and the lives of his classmates. Urtarte told News 3 reporter Jay Greene that Shah died practicing what he always preached: exceeding the standard. In this extended interview, Urtarte talks about his memories of the shooting and the lessons Shah taught him over four years in the ROTC program.

    37 min
  3. Catching a fugitive: International manhunt for Norfolk Navy reservist wanted in wife's murder ends after 2.5 months

    APR 20

    Catching a fugitive: International manhunt for Norfolk Navy reservist wanted in wife's murder ends after 2.5 months

    More than two months after Norfolk Navy reservist David Varela fled the U.S., he was arrested in Hong Kong and extradited to the U.S. to face charges in the murder of his wife, 39-year-old Lina Guerra. Guerra's body was found in the freezer of their apartment in the Icon building in early February around the same time Varela, 38, was on a plane halfway across the world. Varela's arrest was confirmed first by WTKR News 3 on Wednesday, April 15 about 10 weeks after he reportedly fled. His arrest was made a day after WTKR ran a report about how we reached him by phone in a video call days the previous Friday. We received a tip about Varela's apparent whereabouts after two Russian women had met him at a tourist attraction in Hong Kong. Investigative reporter Margaret Kavanagh then called a number for Varela provided by the women, who said he was romantically interested in one of them. But then they had a suspicion about him and looked him up online, discovering the accusations from WTKR's reporting, and reached out to us. While the exact circumstances of Varela's arrest are not yet known — given the shaky relationship between the U.S. and China and the lack of an extradition treaty — we believe the bravery of these women played a critical role. After his arrest, Varela was flown to San Francisco to face a federal charge of fleeing to avoid prosecution. He's then expected back in Norfolk this week before hearings begin in Lina's murder trial. By then, it had made international headlines — including in major U.S. outlets and Hong Kong media. In this episode of True Crime 757, Margaret and Jon discuss the arrest, the role of our reporting, and what to expect next as the case unfolds.

    17 min
  4. We video called a suspected murderer on the run in Hong Kong — and he answered

    APR 13

    We video called a suspected murderer on the run in Hong Kong — and he answered

    After getting a tip via Instagram DM that two Russian women had interacted with David Varela — the Norfolk man who authorities believe murdered his Colombian-American wife, Lina Guerra before fleeing the country — in a chance encounter that included photos, the WTKR investigative team had some questions. Court documents indicate that Varela may have fled the country to Hong Kong after Lina's murder. After being reported missing, the 39-year-old woman was found dead in an apartment freezer in the Icon building in downtown Norfolk. The cause: asphyxiation and blunt force trauma. When we saw the messages from the Russian women, we sought to prove the veracity through various means. Without directly sharing the images, we asked Lina's family to identify Varela's tattoos — tattoos that were not visible on images publicly shared as part of our coverage on the story. They verified that his left arm bares a tattoo with the Latin phrase, "Veni, vidi, vici," or "I came, I saw, I conquered." The women, who WTKR will not identify for their safety, said one of them went on a date with Varela in Hong Kong, who used his real name and told her about his military background. They also gave us two phone numbers for Varela. So, Margaret Kavanagh video called one of them, and a man who answered to "David," who looks just like the man in the photos, answered. "Did you have any comment about the accusations regarding Lina?" Margaret asked. The man covers the camera lens, hangs up, and then blocks her. We also shared this information with authorities, who said any bit helps in their efforts to bring Varela back to the U.S. to face justice for Lina's brutal murder. In this episode of True Crime 757, Margaret discusses the investigation into Varela's whereabouts and what we learned from the women who met him in Hong Kong.

    17 min
  5. The shooting at Old Dominion University, the terrorism investigation, and the aftermath

    APR 10

    The shooting at Old Dominion University, the terrorism investigation, and the aftermath

    On Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 10:48 a.m, the Old Dominion University campus community received an emergency text about an active shooter on campus. Follow run-hide-fight protocols, it read. Less than 90 minutes later, another text followed announcing the threat had been neutralized. Over the next hours, days, and weeks more information would trickle out about the shooter, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh — a convicted felon and current ODU student at the time of the shooting — the hero whose life he cut short, the man accused of illegally selling him the gun, and just this week, full accounts from the cadets who witnessed the horrors of the moment and killed Jalloh before he could do further damage. Jalloh, who reportedly shouted "Allahu akhbar" before opening fire on the classroom in Constant Hall, had spent nearly a decade in prison for attempts to support ISIS. His early release and his re-enrollment at ODU have prompted many to ask, "how could this have happened?" The tragedy also forced lingering issues between the faculty and university leadership to boil over, as emails from 2024 about safety concerns in Constant Hall resurfaced. While the Faculty Senate continued to question President Brian Hemphill's leadership, the Board of Visitors publicly rebuked them for what they called an effort to use an act of terrorism to further a political motive. ODU students left for spring break a day early with heavy hearts, and as they returned to finish the school year, much work remains about the university's plans to address campus security through an independent outside review and how students are moving on from the experience. In this episode of True Crime 757, we break down everything we know about the day of the shooting, the investigations that followed, and the aftermath for the campus community.

    36 min
  6. The Norfolk woman found dead in the freezer and her on-the-run husband wanted for murder

    MAR 10

    The Norfolk woman found dead in the freezer and her on-the-run husband wanted for murder

    More than a month since Lina Guerra's body was found in the freezer of an apartment in the Icon building in downtown Norfolk, her husband, David Varela, remains on the run. Varela was charged with first-degree murder in her death, and several investigating authorities fear he has fled to China, where he may be outside of their grasp. It's still not clear to authorities when Guerra died. But before the body of the 39-year-old woman, whose family comes from Colombia, South America, was discovered, Varela, facing questions about her whereabouts, told them his wife had been arrested for shoplifting and was sentenced to five years in jail. Guerra was reported missing at the end of January, and her body was discovered several days later. But by then, Varela was gone. Guerra's sister-in-law, Paola Ramirez, spoke to WTKR News 3 through a translator in February, and told us there had been abuse in the relationship. Guerra was not allowed to work, not allowed to have friends, not allowed to do much at all without Varela's permission, Ramirez said. She said the family further believes Guerra was killed by Varela in what's known as a femicide — or a killing motivated by gender. Now an international manhunt involving Varela continues as Interpol, or the International Criminal Police Organization, has been informed about efforts to bring him back to the U.S. to face justice. The FBI, NCIS, Norfolk Police, and other organizations are involved in the pursuit on behalf of Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi, who also shares details of his investigation on the podcast. Watch the full episode video at wtkr.com/truecrime757.

    27 min
  7. Colonial Parkway double murder tied to suspect 40 years later

    FEB 10

    Colonial Parkway double murder tied to suspect 40 years later

    The families of Becky Dowski and Cathy Thomas waited nearly 40 years for this news. The young couple are the first two known murders committed by Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. — the dead man now believed to be a serial killer behind one of the most infamous sprees in Virginia history: the Colonial Parkway Murders. From 1986-1989, four double murders were committed in the same region, and through DNA evidence decades later, were posthumously linked to Wilmer. Dowski and Thomas's case was the first known to be committed by Wilmer, according to new information released by the FBI in January 2026. Wilmer had previously been tied to the double murder of David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, as well as 18-year-old Laurie Powell and 29-year-old Theresa Howell — though the latter two are not officially considered part of the Colonial Parkway Murders due to specific circumstances. In this episode of True Crime 757, we speak with reporter Brendan Ponton, who has been covering the Colonial Parkway cases at WTKR for a decade and has spoken with family members of several victims. We discuss the resolution of the Thomas/Dowski case, the other cases tied to Wilmer, and which cases connected to the Colonial Parkway Murders are still left unsolved.

    26 min
  8. Breaking News: Jailed ex-Virginia Beach gym teacher released early on good behavior

    JAN 16

    Breaking News: Jailed ex-Virginia Beach gym teacher released early on good behavior

    Joseph Molineaux, the former Kempsville High School gym teacher who was convicted last fall on charges related to him trespassing on school grounds with weapons, and sending violent threats via text, was released from jail in December. A spokesperson from the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office verified he was released from custody in December. News 3 investigative reporter Margaret Kavanagh has been following Molineaux's case since he was arrested at Kempsville in April with weapons in his car. He had sent text messages to family members in York County stating that his dog keeps him from going to Kempsville with an AK-47 and "mowing down the administration." This prompted a search of his home where such weapons were found and confiscated. Molineaux's issue with the administration at Kempsville is not directly known. Through Freedom of Information Act requests with the Virginia Department of Education, News 3 learned of his extensively documented code violations while employed at six different schools in Virginia Beach over more than two decades. The final straw that led Molineaux to "resign in lieu of dismissal" in February 2023, according to VDOE records, was an incident where he inadvertently showed a student a picture of his g******s on his phone. Between his convictions in York County and Virginia Beach, Molineaux was sentenced to more than 20 years; however, most of that time was suspended, leaving him with two six month sentences. Ultimately, due to time served and the misdemeanor conviction, Molineaux was released after about eight total months in jail on good behavior. In this follow-up episode of True Crime 757, we discuss the charges against him, his convictions, and why the sentencing was reduced.

    9 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

True Crime 757 gives a deeper, behind-the-scenes look into the stories covered by WTKR News 3 with host Maddie Miller, lead investigator Margaret Kavanagh, and other guests. Each episode covers a true crime story from the Hampton Roads region: who was involved, the status of the case, and more about what went into reporting and airing those stories.

Information

  • Creator
    WTKR News 3
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Copyright
    © Scripps Media Inc.
  • Show Website
    True Crime 757

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