Court records describe a troubled relationship, alarming messages and an international flight before the suspect was detained in Germany.
TUCSON, AZ — Newly reported court details are providing a clearer account of the killing of 19-year-old University of Arizona student Julissa Rubi Salazar and the international search for her boyfriend, who is accused of killing her before fleeing the United States.
Varun Batchigari, 20, faces charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in Salazar’s death, according to Tucson police and court records cited by local news reports. Police said Batchigari was detained in Germany after investigators determined that he had left Tucson and was trying to continue to India. He remained outside Arizona while authorities worked on the process of returning him to Pima County.
Salazar’s family requested a welfare check at her Tucson apartment on Aug. 6 after becoming concerned about her. Tucson Fire Department personnel arrived at about 4 p.m. and found her dead. Police said she had signs of trauma. Investigators later identified Batchigari, her boyfriend, as a suspect after examining evidence and conducting interviews.
Court records obtained by KOLD-TV provided additional details about the period before Salazar was found. One roommate told investigators that Salazar had planned to end her relationship with Batchigari and wanted him out of the home. The roommate said Salazar was afraid of him because of what she described as earlier violent behavior. The records also contain allegations of previous abuse, which have not been adjudicated in connection with the murder case.
Another roommate told investigators that she heard loud screaming and yelling coming from Salazar’s room on Aug. 5. According to the court records, the noise continued for several minutes, stopped briefly and then resumed. The roommate sent Salazar a message asking whether she was OK and received a response saying she was fine and that the disturbance had been an argument. Authorities have not said who wrote that response.
Investigators allege Batchigari strangled Salazar and later took her cellphone and bank cards. Court records cited by KOLD say he allegedly used one of the cards to obtain transportation to Tucson International Airport. Police believe he traveled from Tucson to Houston and then boarded an international flight to Berlin as he attempted to make his way to India.
Salazar’s mother also told investigators that she received messages from her daughter’s phone that did not resemble the way Salazar normally communicated, according to the court records. Those messages contributed to the family’s concern and eventual request for a welfare check. Police have alleged that Batchigari had possession of Salazar’s phone after her death, though the allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Tucson police obtained an arrest warrant charging Batchigari with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Authorities coordinated with the FBI’s Tucson office and the FBI legal attaché in Berlin, and Batchigari was taken into custody after arriving in Germany. Police said he had been attempting to travel onward to India. Details about the German legal proceedings governing his return to the United States have not been publicly resolved.
The University of Arizona confirmed to KOLD that both Salazar and Batchigari had been students. The university said Batchigari was expelled July 22 following an earlier fight. Court documents cited in local reporting also describe prior allegations involving domestic violence and sexual assault. Those allegations are separate from the homicide case, and some were described by witnesses rather than established through a criminal conviction.
The university expressed condolences to Salazar’s family, friends and members of the campus community and said it had been in contact with her family. Salazar’s death has also prompted support for relatives seeking to return her body to Yuma for funeral and memorial services.
Batchigari remained accused, not convicted, of killing Salazar as authorities pursued his return from Germany to Arizona. Police have not publicly released every piece of evidence in the case, and additional details could emerge through extradition proceedings and future court filings in Pima County.
Author note: Last updated August 11, 2026.