Suspect arrested in Germany after 19-year-old woman found dead, police say

The death of 19 year old Julissa Rubi Salazar has led to an international arrest effort involving Tucson police and the FBI, after investigators say her boyfriend left Tucson and tried to continue on to India. Varun Batchigari, 20, was arrested after arriving in Germany and is awaiting extradition to Arizona, where he is expected to be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex. He faces warrants charging him with first degree murder and kidnapping.

Salazar was found dead inside an apartment near Euclid Avenue and Elm Street after family members requested a welfare check. Tucson Fire Department crews went to the apartment at about 4 p.m. Thursday, responding to a call described in court documents as involving a possible cardiac arrest. Medics found Salazar on the floor with a blanket pulled up to her neck. They also observed apparent trauma, including marks and scratches on her neck, and contacted the Tucson Police Department.

Detectives from the department’s Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Unit processed the apartment, spoke with witnesses and reviewed forensic evidence. Police identified Batchigari, described as Salazar’s boyfriend, as the suspect. Investigators say he left Tucson International Airport on the same day Salazar was found. He allegedly flew first to Houston, then to Germany, intending to travel onward to his home country of India.

The arrest was carried out through cooperation between Tucson police, the FBI’s Tucson office and the FBI legal attaché office in Berlin. Authorities took Batchigari into custody after his flight landed in Germany, preventing him from continuing his trip to India, according to police. His return to Pima County will depend on the extradition process. Tucson police said the investigation is still active, and anyone with information is being asked to contact the department.

Details in the felony warrant describe a relationship marked by alleged violence and fear. One roommate told investigators that Salazar had planned to end her relationship with Batchigari. The roommate also said Salazar had previously been sexually assaulted by him and that she was afraid because of what the roommate described as his history of violent behavior. Those allegations have not been resolved in court, and Batchigari is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Another roommate told investigators that loud screaming and yelling came from Salazar’s room on Aug. 5. The outburst reportedly continued for several minutes, followed by a brief quiet period and then another short disturbance. The roommate said a woman’s voice could be heard afterward, but it was unclear whether anyone else was in the room. After sending Salazar a text asking whether she was all right, the roommate said she received a response saying Salazar was fine and that the noise had come from an argument.

Investigators also allege that Batchigari strangled Salazar and then took her cellphone and bank cards. Police say he used one of the cards to pay for a ride to Tucson International Airport. The warrant also says he used Salazar’s phone to send messages to her mother. Her mother told investigators those messages did not resemble the way her daughter normally communicated, a detail that became part of the evidence reviewed by detectives.

The case has also brought scrutiny to Batchigari’s reported background in Tucson. A video posted on YouTube by Batchigari identified him as a business analytics student at the University of Arizona. Court documents say he was expelled after a fight and had a history involving domestic violence and sexual assault. The warrant references an assault case handled by the University of Arizona Police Department. People interviewed by investigators also described an alleged sexual assault at a Halloween party that was not reported to police. Another person said Batchigari later lost his job, creating problems involving his visa and ability to pay rent.

A friend told investigators that Salazar moved in with roommates after experiencing problems with Batchigari in late 2025. The accounts outlined in the warrant may become part of the prosecution’s case as authorities work to bring Batchigari back to Arizona. For residents near the Euclid and Elm area, the arrest provides an update in a case that began with a welfare check and quickly expanded across international borders. Tucson police have not announced a court date or provided additional details about the extradition timeline.