A 20-year-old Indian national accused of killing his girlfriend in Arizona entered the country on a student visa and had been expelled from school, federal authorities said.
The suspect, Varun Batchigari, fled the country after allegedly strangling his 19-year-old girlfriend, Julissa Salazar, in an off-campus apartment in Tucson, Ariz. She was found dead on Thursday, Aug. 6, but it remains unclear when she actually died.
Batchigari entered the United States through Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 8, 2024, on an F-1 student visa, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fox News. He was expelled from the University of Arizona in July, but his student visa had not yet been terminated.
The case once again highlights the underreported immigration issues involving foreign nationals who arrive on tourist or student visas and never leave or go on to commit a crime.
"She was our first-generation child going off to college. So this was a huge deal for our entire family. Us sending her off to be able to live that dream that she wanted to live was such an amazing and proud moment for us."
Julissa Salazar's mother spoke exclusively to Fox News… pic.twitter.com/EJ3oFE4XMN
— Fox News US (@FoxUSNews) August 11, 2026
The U.S. Department of State announced this week it has revoked more than 175,000 visas under the Trump administration. The department has targeted “foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security,” the State Department noted.
Investigators believe Batchigari’s life in the United States had started to spiral following his expulsion from college. Sources also said Salazar had tried to end a romantic relationship with him, which likely led to her murder.
Fox News spoke to the victim’s mother, who asked not to be identified, and said that Salazar had “broken up” with the suspect before she was found dead.
Batchigari allegedly stole Salazar’s cellphone and bank cards after strangling her. He boarded a flight out of Houston that was bound for India, with a layover in Germany. The FBI alerted authorities and he was arrested in Berlin, Germany.
The FBI is now working to extradite him back to Pima County, Arizona, to face charges for first-degree murder and kidnapping, according to local outlet KOLD-TV.
A felony warrant issued for Batchigari describes escalating violence, a troubled relationship and mounting personal problems in the months leading up to Salazar’s death.
The Tucson Police Department said that Salazar was found dead inside her apartment near the University of Arizona, KOLD reported.
The Tucson Fire Department arrived at the home around 4 p.m. Aug. 6 after family members requested a welfare check. She had obvious signs of trauma and was found “dead on the floor of her apartment with a blanket pulled up to her neck,” police said.
The University of Arizona confirmed to various media outlets that Salazar was a student. Batchigari also attended the university but was expelled on July 22.
“Visas provided to foreign students to live, study, and work in the United States are a privilege, not a right,” DHS officials said in a statement to Fox News. “When you break our laws, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country. ICE, like all our federal and local law enforcement partners, is focused on public safety.”
Court records indicate the University of Arizona Police Department charged Batchigari with assault on May 26, which led to his expulsion. He also had a history of domestic violence and sexual assault, KOLD reported.
According to the warrant, detectives interviewed various witnesses who said Salazar moved in with roommates after experiencing problems with Batchigari in late 2025. She tried to end the relationship because of an alleged history of domestic violence.
Salazar’s roommates told police she had been sexually assaulted by Batchigari before. One roommate said she was scared of Batchigari because of his history of violent behavior.
They also heard loud screaming and yelling coming from Salazar’s room on Aug. 5, KOLD reported. The roommate said she texted Salazar to see if she was OK, but police did not say when they last had contact with the victim.
According to various reports, Batchigari took Salazar’s phone and credit cards after the alleged murder. He then posed as Salazar and used her phone to text her mother, trying to buy time as he planned to flee the country.
Salazar’s family contacted police for a welfare check that led officers to discover her body. The text messages raised red flags with her mother, who alerted police and said the messages did not sound like her daughter.
“It is with unimaginable sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Julie, a beautiful 19-year-old daughter, sister, friend, and beloved member of her family,” according to a GoFundMe started for her family who lives in Yuma, Ariz. “She leaves behind her parents and two younger sisters who love and miss her more than words can express.”
Salazar was a first-generation college student, leaving home at 17 years old to attend University of Arizona in Tucson on a scholarship. She was an aspiring child psychologist preparing for her third year at the university, Fox News reported.
Salazar’s mother described her as a “bright light,” adding that Batchigari “no longer had any business here [in the U.S.] or around the student body, especially as a threat,” per Fox News.
In recent months, Batchigari had lost his job, leading to problems with his visa and paying rent, according to investigators. He was a business analytics student at the University of Arizona prior to being expelled.
“I don’t see work as my purpose. I see it as a tool, something that helps me build a life I actually want,” according to a YouTube video posted by Batchigari.
Batchigari still had lawful status at the time of the alleged murder, despite his reported expulsion from the University of Arizona, according to Fox News. However, international students on F-1 visas are generally required to remain enrolled to maintain their legal status.
