BERLIN / TUCSON — An Indian national accused of murdering his girlfriend in Arizona was intercepted and taken into custody in Germany while attempting to fly home to India, law enforcement officials said.
The suspect, 20-year-old Varun Batchigari, a business analytics student at the University of Arizona, allegedly killed his 19-year-old girlfriend, Julissa Rubi Salazar, at an apartment in Tucson on August 6 before fleeing the country.
A Coordinated International Arrest
According to the Tucson Police Department (TPD), Batchigari traveled to Tucson International Airport shortly after the incident and boarded a flight bound for Germany, intending to catch a connecting flight to India.
Detectives swiftly secured an arrest warrant charging Batchigari with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Working in tight coordination with the FBI’s Tucson Office and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Berlin, American and German authorities intercepted Batchigari as soon as his plane landed in Germany, effectively blocking his escape to India.
Gruesome Discovery and Cover-Up Attempt
Emergency responders from the Tucson Fire Department were initially dispatched to Salazar's residence around 4:00 p.m. on August 6 following a report of cardiac arrest. Upon entering the apartment, crew members found Salazar deceased on the floor with a blanket pulled up to her neck.
Paramedics immediately alerted city police after discovering visible strangulation marks and scratches across her neck.
Investigators allege that following the murder, Batchigari stole Salazar’s mobile phone and credit cards. In an apparent attempt to cover up the crime and delay discovery, he allegedly sent several text messages to the victim’s mother while posing as Salazar. The suspicious tone of the messages raised immediate alarms for the family, who requested a welfare check that ultimately led police to her body.
History of Violence and Allegations
Court records and witness interviews obtained as part of the investigation reveal a history of domestic troubles. Friends and witnesses told detectives that Salazar had moved out of their shared residence in late 2025 due to ongoing conflicts and had planned to end the relationship over repeated domestic violence incidents.
The arrest warrant also highlights prior law enforcement encounters involving Batchigari, including a previous assault investigation conducted by the University of Arizona Police Department. Additionally, a witness interviewed by investigators alleged that Batchigari had previously sexually assaulted her at a party, though the incident was never formally reported to police at the time.
While federal records indicate that Batchigari remained in valid immigration status at the time of the alleged crime, reports indicate he had been expelled from the University of Arizona.
Batchigari remains in custody in Germany awaiting formal extradition back to Arizona, where he will be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex to face murder and kidnapping charges.
