Varun Batchigari, 20, an Indian national and former University of Arizona student, was arrested in Berlin, Germany, after boarding a flight out of the U.S. following the death of his girlfriend, 19-year-old Julissa Salazar. Batchigari faces extradition to the United States to answer charges of first-degree murder in connection with Salazar's strangulation in her apartment near the university campus.

Federal law enforcement sources confirmed to Fox News that Batchigari entered the U.S. on an F-1 student visa in January 2024 and was expelled from the University of Arizona on July 22. Investigators say he attempted to flee to India before his arrest in Germany.

Salazar, who was preparing to enter her third year studying psychology, was found dead on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Her mother told Fox News Digital that Salazar had broken up with Batchigari prior to her death. The University of Arizona expressed condolences, confirming Salazar was a student and offering support to her family and the campus community.

"This happening to her feels so unfair in so many ways," said Salazar's mother. Prior to attending the university, Salazar graduated in the top 5% of her high school class.

Court records from Pima County, Arizona, indicate that the University of Arizona Police Department charged Batchigari with the murder. Former DOJ prosecutor Jim Trusty has commented on the international legal challenges involved in extraditing Batchigari from Germany.

The university and authorities continue to provide support and resources to those affected by this tragedy.

Sources