The 17-year-old was arrested after police spotted his mother’s vehicle at a Massachusetts parking lot, hours after he allegedly fled the family home
A 17-year-old Indian-origin teenager has been arrested and charged with allegedly killing his mother and 14-year-old brother inside their family home in Acton, Massachusetts.
Prosecutors said the teenager had used the internet and ChatGPT before the killings to search for theoretical ideas and fantasies involving the murder of his family.
He faces two counts of murder, along with charges including assault and battery on a household member and the unauthorised use and theft of a motor vehicle.
Family members found dead at home
Police were called to the family’s home on Martha Lane in Acton, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, on Tuesday evening.
The teenager’s father contacted the Acton Police Department shortly after 6:30 pm after being unable to reach his wife, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and their younger son aged 14.
A private tutor who was expected at the house also could not contact anyone inside.
When officers entered the property, they found both victims with what authorities described as obvious signs of trauma. The younger son was found on the first floor, while the mother was discovered in the basement.
The medical examiner’s office is conducting autopsies to establish the exact causes and manners of death. Investigators are also working to determine what weapons were used.
More from WorldTeen allegedly fled in mother’s car
The accused teenager was not at the house when police arrived. Investigators determined that he had allegedly left the scene in his mother’s vehicle, prompting authorities to alert law enforcement agencies in the surrounding area.
Early Wednesday, police in neighbouring Wayland responded to an unrelated automated alarm at a parking lot. Officers spotted the vehicle and found Arjun inside.
He was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators examine ChatGPT searches
As part of the investigation, authorities examined the teenager’s digital activity.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo said investigators found evidence that the accused had recently used the internet and ChatGPT to search for theoretical ideas and fantasies about killing his family.
The findings are now part of the investigation as authorities work to establish what happened before the killings and determine a possible motive.
Case to move to district court
The accused was initially expected to appear in Lowell Juvenile Court. However, Massachusetts juvenile courts do not have jurisdiction over murder indictments.
The case will therefore be transferred to Concord District Court, where he is expected to be arraigned on the murder and felony assault charges.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to reconstruct the timeline of events and gather further evidence.