A 17-year-old boy of Indian descent has been charged with the tragic murders of his mother and younger brother in their Massachusetts home, according to authorities.
The boy, named Arjun Aravind and a resident of Acton, faces serious charges including two counts of murder, assault and battery on family members, and theft of a motor vehicle. His alleged victims are his 14-year-old brother Siddharth Aravind and his 45-year-old mother Sudha Venkatesan.
Officials claim that on Tuesday, Arjun violently assaulted his mother and brother in their home before fleeing the scene. Both victims were discovered with clear signs of trauma, but the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet released details regarding the exact causes of death or the type of weapon involved.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, along with Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo, reported that the tragic events took place on Martha Lane, roughly 30 miles from Boston.
On Wednesday, around 6:37 PM, the police received a call from Arjun’s father, who had been unable to reach his family. A tutor, scheduled to visit the home, also could not make contact. The father had last spoken to his wife Sudha early that morning before leaving for work, while Siddharth was last seen around noon.
When police arrived, they found both victims dead—Siddharth on the first floor and Sudha in the finished basement. Arjun was reportedly not at home and had driven off in his mother’s car.
Authorities tried to find Arjun but initially faced challenges. They later asked law enforcement and the public for help in locating him. Early Wednesday morning, police in Wayland, Massachusetts, discovered his vehicle while responding to an unrelated alarm at a parking lot and took him into custody without incident.
According to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, investigations showed that Arjun had been displaying concerning behavior, including searching online for violent fantasies about harming his family.
Arjun was expected to appear in Lowell Juvenile Court on Wednesday. Since the Juvenile Court cannot handle murder charges, he will be arraigned on those and related charges in Concord District Court at a later date.
