A 17-year-old Utah boy has been charged with aggravated murder and obstruction of justice in the shooting deaths of his mother, Jessica Orton Lyman, 44, and his 8-year-old half-brother, Eli Painter. The arrests followed a 17-month investigation by Saratoga Springs police, which included dozens of search warrants and extensive forensic testing.
Prosecutors announced their intent to move the case to adult district court. The teen's identity has not been released as he is currently a juvenile.
Police responded to a medical-assist call at the family's home on March 28, 2025, and discovered Lyman and Painter with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims' remains were found the following morning by Lyman's teenage daughter.
Evidence presented by investigators includes home-surveillance video that allegedly captured an argument around 11:30 p.m. the night before the victims were found. Voices investigators believe belong to the teen and the victims were heard. Shortly after, three gunshots were recorded.
Investigators also obtained surveillance footage showing a masked figure, consistent with the teen's height and build, in the neighborhood between 2:34 a.m. and 2:59 a.m. on the night of the murders. The figure's route and the timing of the video suggest the weapon may have been discarded in the nearby Jordan River.
Forensic evidence reportedly includes gunshot residue found on multiple items of clothing, including those worn by the teen the morning the victims were discovered. The teen's DNA was allegedly found under one victim's fingernails, and his DNA was also found on the waistband of shorts worn by Lyman when she died.
Handwritten notes discovered in the teen's room reportedly mentioned "serology," "DNA," and "firearm testing," with one note stating, "This is a murder story."
Over the course of the 17-month investigation, police executed numerous search warrants, collected hundreds of pieces of evidence, and reviewed extensive video and other records. The FBI, Utah State Crime Laboratory, West Jordan Police Department, and Utah County Sheriff’s Office Evidence Team provided assistance.
In a statement, the Orton family expressed gratitude to the agencies involved and emphasized their desire for the person responsible to be held accountable. "Today’s arrest marks an important step toward justice for our daughter and sister, Jessica Orton Lyman, and our grandson and nephew, Eli Painter," the family said. "We expect the person responsible to be held fully accountable for their actions, without excuse, exception, or leniency."