Varun Batchigari, an F-1 student visa holder, has been arrested in Berlin, Germany, in connection with the murder of University of Arizona student Julissa Salazar. Batchigari, 20, is accused of strangling Salazar, 19, in her Tucson apartment before attempting to flee the country. He is currently awaiting extradition to the United States to face charges.
Federal law enforcement sources confirmed that Batchigari entered the U.S. on a student visa in January 2024. He was subsequently expelled from the University of Arizona on July 22 following an altercation, according to university officials. Salazar's mother told Fox News Digital that her daughter had recently broken up with Batchigari, and that the suspect may have been motivated by the end of their relationship.
Salazar was preparing to begin her third year at the University of Arizona, where she was studying psychology. Her mother described her as a "bright light" and a "first-generation child going off to college." Salazar was also an advocate for mental health and first-generation students, and had graduated high school in the top 5% of her class.
Batchigari was apprehended in Germany after reportedly attempting to travel to India. International legal processes are underway to facilitate his extradition to the U.S. to stand trial for first-degree murder.