The University of Arizona student who was killed in her Tucson apartment planned to break up with her Indian boyfriend and feared for her safety in the relationship, according to findings in an arrest warrant filed with the court in Pima County.
Julissa Rubi Salazar, 19, discussed ending her relationship with Varun Batchigari, 20, according to a roommate who provided details to police after the young woman’s body was found Thursday in her bed, fully clothed and covered by a blanket.
The victim told her roommate that Batchigari was abusive and had sexually assaulted and choked her in the past after an altercation at a Halloween party, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. That roommate conveyed that the sexual assault was not reported to the police.
Batchigari has an open misdemeanor assault case from May. The circumstances of the matter were not immediately available in public records and it is unclear if it involved Salazar.
Salazar’s body had injuries that suggested she was strangled, including redness and scratches around her neck along with petechiae marks on her eyes, eyelids and face that indicate trauma from popped blood vessels, the affidavit said. There were also injuries consistent with defensive wounds on the victim, according to an investigative narrative in the warrant.
Investigators found Salazar’s room in disarray with broken glass and a knocked-over plant, indicating signs of struggle. Police could not find Salazar’s keys and phone.
Federal and international authorities helped to facilitate Batchigari’s arrest in Germany last week during his multileg trip from Tucson to India.
Batchigari, who is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping, is awaiting extradition back to Arizona.
The affidavit also states that Salazar’s phone pinged at the Tucson International Airport on Thursday morning, about an hour before Batchigari took a flight to Houston, where he had a layover on his way to Europe.
The young woman had a planned visit her mother in Yuma, Arizona, but canceled it via text. Her mother told police that the text struck her as odd. Her mother thought “something was off with the messages,” the document said.
On Wednesday, Salazar’s mother was able to see her location through the location-sharing function on her daughter’s phone. By the following day, the feature had been disabled, according to the warrant papers.
Salazar, who was also known as Julie, was a student in the university’s elite science, engineering and math program. The apartment where she was killed was near the University of Arizona.
Another roommate who spoke to police told them there was “loud screaming and yelling” and “another brief outburst” before silence in the apartment on Aug. 5, the day before Salazar’s body was found.
Salazar was named “mentor of the month” in her program in March, with the school posting a complimentary blurb about her on its official Instagram account.
“We are recognizing Julie for her intentionality in building rapport with students, connecting with each of them personally and providing individualized support of each of her students,” the post read. “Her positive attitude and bubbly demeanor is a wonderful addition to our team!”
A GoFundMe page was started for Salazar’s family to pay for funeral costs and other expenses.
“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,” a statement on the site read. “Julie was loved deeply, and she will be missed beyond measure.”
