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A man accused of killing his teenage girlfriend in Arizona allegedly attempted to hide evidence, leave the United States and disappear abroad, according to authorities.
Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News that the suspect, 20-year-old Varun Batchigari, is an Indian national who arrived in the U.S. at Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 8, 2024, using an F-1 student visa.
Following the alleged killing, investigators say Batchigari flew out of Houston on a route to India that included a stop in Germany. He was taken into custody there after the FBI notified local authorities.
Varun Batchigari faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of 19-year-old Julissa Salazar. Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News he entered the United States on an F-1 student visa and was arrested in Germany after allegedly trying to flee to India. (CBP)
The FBI is now working to bring Batchigari back to Arizona through extradition so he can face the first-degree murder charge.
Batchigari is accused of killing his 19-year-old girlfriend, Julissa Salazar. Tucson police said Salazar was strangled Thursday inside an off-campus apartment near the University of Arizona.
Authorities allege that after Salazar was killed, Batchigari took her cellphone and credit cards, then sent text messages to her mother while pretending to be Salazar in what investigators believe was an effort to cover up the crime. The messages alarmed Salazar’s family and led them to request a welfare check, during which officers found her body.
A felony warrant paints a picture of escalating violence, a deteriorating relationship and mounting personal troubles in the months leading up to Salazar’s death.
Tuscon Police vehicle (Tucscon Police)
According to the warrant, obtained by KOLD-TV, Batchigari had previously been involved in an assault case investigated by the University of Arizona Police Department.
Witnesses interviewed by investigators said Salazar moved out after experiencing problems with Batchigari in late 2025 and had planned to end the relationship because of an alleged history of domestic violence.
The warrant also includes allegations from multiple witnesses describing prior violent behavior. One witness told investigators Batchigari sexually assaulted her at a Halloween party but said she never reported the allegation to law enforcement.
Another witness told investigators Batchigari had been expelled from the University of Arizona following a fight and later lost his job, leading to financial problems and concerns about his student visa status and ability to pay rent.
U.S. border patrol agent Alessio Faccin walks along the border fence separating Mexico from the United States near Calexico, California, U.S. February 8, 2017. Picture taken February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake – RC166A17F9D0 (Mike Blake/Reuters)
Federal records reviewed by Fox News show Batchigari remained in lawful immigration status at the time of the alleged murder despite his reported expulsion from the University of Arizona.
Because international students on F-1 visas are generally required to remain enrolled to maintain their legal status, it is unclear why his immigration status had not yet changed.
A Tucson Police Department spokesperson told News Outlet there were no updates beyond the information already released publicly. News Outlet also reached out to the University of Arizona to confirm Batchigari’s enrollment history and whether Salazar was a student, but did not immediately receive a response.
