17-year-old faces murder charges after mom, brother found dead; prosecutors describe 'violent struggle'
A 17-year-old boy is in custody on murder charges after his mother and 14-year-old brother were found dead in apparent homicides in the family's Acton, Massachusetts, home, the district attorney said, calling it an "unspeakable tragedy."
Arjun Aravind was apprehended in Wayland, Massachusetts, on Wednesday morning after he allegedly fled the scene in Acton on Tuesday in his mother's car, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
On Tuesday evening, Aravind's father called police asking for a well-being check at his family's house, noting that a tutor couldn't gain access to the home and he couldn't reach anyone inside, Ryan said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Responding officers found Aravind's mother, Sudha Venkatesan, and 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, suffering from "obvious trauma," Ryan said, adding that their manners of death haven't been confirmed. Siddharth Aravind was found on the first floor and his mother was discovered in the basement, the DA said.
Prosecutors said in court Thursday that there were "obvious signs of a physical and violent struggle" at the home, and noted the victims suffered "blunt-force trauma."
Aravind allegedly showed "some concerning behavior, including using the internet and ChatGPT" to make searches "regarding the killing of his family," Ryan said.
He allegedly used ChatGPT "in creating fantasies, stories, kind of the gothic novel kind of stories, asking questions, creating characters" in what "seemed to appear to relate to threats to his family," Ryan said.
The exact times of the crimes are not clear, the DA said. Venkatesan was last seen alive when her husband left the house around 7 a.m. Tuesday, Ryan said. Siddharth Aravind went to a recreational facility around 9 a.m. Tuesday and returned home shortly after noon, she said.
Arjun Aravind is 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 the DA.
He was expected to be arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court on Wednesday. Juvenile Court doesn't have jurisdiction over murder, so he was arraigned on the murder and related assault charges on Thursday in Concord District Court, the DA said.
A not guilty plea was entered on Arjun Aravind's behalf when he appeared in Concord District Court on Thursday morning.
He was held without bail and will undergo a mental health evaluation.
The teen is set to return to court on Sept. 11 for a probable cause hearing.
