A 16-year-old Utah boy has been charged with the murders of his mother, Jessica Lyman, 44, and his 8-year-old half-brother, Eli Painter, more than 17 months after they were found shot dead in their Saratoga Springs home.

The suspect, who has not been named due to his age, was 15 at the time of the killings. Prosecutors allege that the teenager, despite claiming he was asleep, was involved in a confrontation shortly before the shots were fired and was later seen on surveillance footage disposing of a weapon while masked.

New details emerged in charging documents released this week, contradicting the suspect's initial account. Prosecutors stated that investigators doubted his claim of sleeping through the violence, noting that he also reported not hearing emergency personnel enter the home afterward. Surveillance footage from a neighbor's property reportedly captured a loud argument moments before the gunshots, with a voice believed to be Lyman's heard asking, "What are you doing?" Three gunshots were then recorded, followed by two in rapid succession.

Evidence and Investigation

The suspect later admitted to police that he had argued with his mother that night. In the hours following the shooting, surveillance video allegedly showed a figure of the same height and build as the suspect, wearing a mask, moving through the neighborhood. Prosecutors suggest this individual could have discarded the murder weapon, which has not been recovered.

Investigators found .22 shell casings at the scene. The documents also indicate the presence of seminal fluid near Lyman's body, and that her pants were found down around her knees. A search of the teen's phone uncovered disturbing text messages allegedly sent to his mother, including one that read, "I wish I died in your stomach. Wouldn’t have to put up with you," and another calling her a "witch."

During questioning, the teenager was found with gunshot residue on multiple items of clothing, including what he was wearing. A handwritten note discovered at the scene read, "This is a murder story."

Delay in Charges

Saratoga Springs Police Department Chief Andy Burton acknowledged the lengthy investigation, stating that dozens of search warrants were executed and forensic evidence analysis took time. He noted that investigators reviewed extensive video records and conducted numerous interviews. "While much of the work of a homicide investigation takes place behind the scenes, we understand that every day without answers has been difficult," Burton said, thanking the families for their patience.

Prosecutors intend to pursue elevating the charges against the 16-year-old from juvenile court to adult court. Lyman's family released a statement calling the arrest "an important step toward justice for our daughter and sister, Jessica Orton Lyman, and our grandson and nephew, Eli Painter."