Tucson police detectives have identified and arrested a suspect in connection with the death of 19-year-old Julissa Rubi Salazar, who was found dead in a local apartment on August 6, 2026.
Members of the Tucson Fire Department arrived at 1701 N. Tyndall Avenue around 4:00 p.m. after family members asked authorities to perform a welfare check.
Upon entering the residence, first responders found Salazar unresponsive and could see signs of trauma. Medics pronounced her dead at the scene and immediately notified law enforcement.
Officers from the Tucson Police Department’s Operations Division West and detectives from the Homicide Unit initiated an investigation into the incident. Crime scene technicians and detectives gathered forensic evidence from the apartment and conducted interviews to establish a timeline of events.
Investigators subsequently identified Salazar’s boyfriend, 20-year-old Varun Batchigari, as the suspect. According to police, Batchigari traveled to the Tucson International Airport on August 6 and boarded a flight bound for Germany, with an intended final destination of India.
Detectives secured an arrest warrant for Batchigari charging him with first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Working alongside federal and international agencies—including the FBI Tucson Office, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Berlin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Munich Police Department—authorities intercepted Batchigari upon his arrival in Germany.
“The Tucson Police Department is grateful for the assistance and coordination provided by our federal and international partners, including the FBI, CBP, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Munich Police Department,” the agency said in a statement. “Their efforts were instrumental in locating Batchigari and coordinating with authorities in Germany.”
Batchigari remains in custody in Germany pending extradition proceedings. Once extradited to Arizona, he will be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.
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