An Indian-origin teenager has been charged with the murder of his mother and younger brother in their suburban home in Massachusetts, United States. Arjun Aravind, 17, a resident of Acton, was arrested after an overnight manhunt that ended early Wednesday morning.
He is accused of killing his mother, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and his brother, 14-year-old Siddarth Aravind, and has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of assault and battery on a household or family member, two counts of assault and battery, use of a vehicle without authority, and theft of a motor vehicle, according to officials.
The Crime
Police alleged that Aravind, a student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, fatally assaulted his mother and brother inside their home on Tuesday before fleeing the scene on his mother’s Honda Accord.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo said the deaths occurred on Tuesday inside the family’s Martha Lane home in Acton, about 48 km from Boston.
The crime was discovered when a tutor arrived at the family’s home just after 6:30 pm on Tuesday for an expected appointment. When she could not get in the house, she contacted Aravind’s father, who tried but failed to reach his family. He then contacted the Acton Police Department, asking them to conduct a well-being check, Ryan said.
Aravind’s father had last seen his wife early that morning before he left for work, while his younger son Siddharth was last seen around noon.
According to the Middlesex District Attorney, when officers arrived at the scene, they found Venkatesan and Siddarth dead. Venkatesan’s body was found lying in the house’s basement, while her son was found on the first floor of the home.
Both victims were found with “obvious trauma,” but the Chief Medical Examiner is yet to release information on the exact cause and manner of death. The type of weapon used in the killings is also still under investigation.
Missing Suspect
Aravind, along with his mother’s Honda Accord, was found missing, Ryan said.
Investigators tried to locate Aravind but were initially unsuccessful and alerted law enforcement agencies and the public to be on the lookout for him. Early on Wednesday morning, police in Wayland, Massachusetts, responding to an unrelated alarm at a parking lot, found the vehicle with Aravind inside. He was taken into custody without incident.
Accused killer 17 year old Arjun Aravind of Acton was taken into custody in Wayland overnight and tomorrow he’s expected in adult court charged with murdering his mother and younger brother…his dad was at work when the murders took place #7News pic.twitter.com/ljpT6lNZGR
— Steve Cooper (@scooperon7) August 12, 2026
The ChatGPT History
“The subsequent investigation indicates that Arjun (Aravind) had recently been demonstrating concerning behaviour, including using the internet and ChatGPT to make searches for theoretical ideas or fantasies regarding killing his family,” a statement by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said.
It added that Aravind had asked the AI chatbot to help create “Gothic novel-kind of stories,” asking questions and creating characters.
Aravind was expected to be arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court on Wednesday. Since the Juvenile Court does not have jurisdiction over a murder charge, he will be arraigned on that charge and the related assault charges in Concord District Court later.