Varun Batchigari is suspected of first-degree murder in the death of college student Julissa Rubi Salazar, who was found dead in her apartment near the University of Arizona in Tucson on Thursday, according to US media reports. A 20-year-old Indian national has been arrested in Germany after allegedly strangling his 19-year-old girlfriend in Arizona and attempting to flee the United States.
What Happened
Her condition was reported to be serious. The hunt for Batchigari started once police learned he had fled Tucson. He went to Tucson International Airport and caught a flight to Houston, then continued on another flight headed for Berlin, Germany. Authorities believe he was trying to return to India. An arrest warrant was issued while investigators followed his movements. He is expected to be extradited to Arizona to face a first-degree murder charge and be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center. They later reached out to her to confirm she was safe and received a reply stating she was fine and that the incident had been nothing more than an argument. In addition, one woman reportedly informed investigators that Batchigari had sexually assaulted her on Halloween, though she did not report the alleged incident at the time. The student, who has been living at the hostel for about a year, was taken to hospital after the incident. The police investigating the case checked CCTV recordings from the hostel to trace the guard’s movements before and after the alleged attack. The footage showed the accused entering a lift and looking into the mirror before heading towards the terrace. The incident took place when the student went to the hostel terrace, a place she reportedly visited regularly for walks. He then allegedly attacked the student and sexually assaulted her. The police are examining the CCTV recordings as part of the investigation into the sequence of events. The footage reportedly captures the accused’s movements in the building before he went to the terrace and later left the premises. The CCTV recordings became an important part of the investigation after the police reached the hostel following the incident. The stairs to the terrace were located near the lift. Another set of recordings showed him leaving the hostel building after the incident. Investigators later traced the accused to the Hebatpur area, where police moved to arrest him.
Her roommates reportedly grew worried in the days leading up to her death when they heard loud screaming from Salazar’s room on August 5. Records cited by The New York Post show he faced an open criminal case in Pima County Court over an allegation of assault, knowingly causing injury, that was filed on May 26. Ahmedabad: A security guard at a paying guest hostel in Ahmedabad has been arrested after allegedly raping a student on the building’s terrace, where she had gone for a walk on Saturday (August 8) night.
Arizona authorities collaborated with federal agents to find and take Batchigari into custody after his arrival in Germany, according to the Tucson Police Department. The police said the accused attacked the woman after reaching the terrace and allegedly used a wire around her neck to stop her from raising an alarm. The police said the security guard followed her to the terrace and closed the door after reaching there. The police said the footage helped establish the route taken by the accused before the alleged crime.
Investigators are also examining claims related to Batchigari’s earlier behaviour.
People Involved
Local news channel KOLD reported that detectives believe he took her phone and credit cards and then sent multiple messages to her mother. Investigators later identified Batchigari, Salazar’s boyfriend, as the primary suspect. When officers arrived at the apartment around 4 p.m. local time, they found the teenager unresponsive and showing signs of trauma, the Tucson Police Department reported.
Salazar’s family requested a welfare check after growing concerned about her, according to police.
