CHANDIGARH: A 17-year-old Indian-origin student has been charged with the murders of his mother and 14-year-old brother in Acton, Massachusetts, after police said he had used the internet and ChatGPT to explore ideas about killing his family.
As per the police, Arjun Aravind (17), a student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, is accused of killing his mother, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and his brother, Siddarth Aravind (14).
He 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, and was arrested after an overnight manhunt that ended early Wednesday morning.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo said that Arjun allegedly fatally assaulted his mother and brother inside their house on Martha Lane in Acton, some 48 kilometres from Boston, on Tuesday before he fled from the spot in his mother's Honda Accord.
They said that police received a call from his father shortly after 6.37 pm on August 11 after he was unable to contact his family, as he had last spoken to his wife, Sudha, early Tuesday morning before leaving for work, while Siddharth was last seen around noon.
A tutor expected at the house had also been unable to reach anyone.
Police who arrived at the house found both victims dead. Siddharth was found on the first floor and Sudha in the finished basement.
While both victims were suffering from obvious trauma, the exact cause and manner are still pending from the Chief Medical Examiner. What weapon or weapons were used is still actively under investigation.
Investigators attempted to locate Arjun but were not immediately successful and notified law enforcement and members of the public to be on the lookout.
Early this morning, police in Wayland, responding to an unrelated alarm call in a parking lot on Andrew Avenue, located the suspect vehicle with Arjun inside.
Arjun was taken into custody by police without incident.
“The subsequent investigation indicates that Arjun 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 Attorney said.
Arjun Aravind will be arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court this morning. As Juvenile Court does not have jurisdiction over the charge of murder, Arjun Aravind will be arraigned on that charge and the related assault charges in Concord District Court, likely tomorrow.
