Indian-Origin Teenager Charged With Double Murder of Mother and Brother in Massachusetts

Indian-origin teenager charged with double murder of mother, brother in Massachusetts.

A 17-year-old Indian-origin teenager has been charged with allegedly murdering his mother and younger brother at their home in Acton, Massachusetts, authorities said. The teen has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts each of assault and battery on a household or family member and assault and battery, along with charges of using a vehicle without authority and stealing a motor vehicle.

The 17-year old is accused of fatally assaulting his mother, Sudha Venkatesan, 45, and his 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, inside their Martha Lane home on Tuesday before fleeing in his mother's car. Middlesex district attorney Marian Ryan and acton police chief Douglas Sturniolo said police received a call from teen's father shortly after 6.37 pm on August 11 after he was unable to contact his family. A tutor expected at the house had also been unable to reach anyone.

The father had last spoken to Sudha early Tuesday morning before leaving for work, while Siddharth was last seen around noon, authorities said. Police who arrived at the house found both victims dead. Siddharth was found on the first floor and Sudha in the finished basement. Both victims were found with “obvious trauma”, but the chief medical examiner has 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.

The accused was not at the house when police arrived and was believed to have fled in his mother's vehicle. Investigators issued an alert for him as they searched for the teenager. He was found early Wednesday in the vehicle in a parking lot in Wayland, Massachusetts, after local police responded to an unrelated alarm. He was taken into custody without incident.

The Middlesex county district attorney's office said investigators found that Arjun had recently displayed concerning behaviour. "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,” the statement said.

Arjun was expected to be arraigned in Lowell juvenile court on Wednesday. However, the juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over murder charges. He will therefore face arraignment on the murder and related assault charges in Concord district court later.