The suspect, whose name was not released, is booked in the Juvenile Detention Center, and detectives have screened two counts of first-degree murder with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, Saratoga Springs police said in a news release. 

Charges will be filed once the Utah County Attorney’s Office determines whether to charge the suspect as a juvenile or an adult, according to Saratoga Springs police. 

On March 28, 2025, authorities responded to a medical assist call at a Saratoga Springs residence and located Jessica Lyman, 44, and Eli Painter, 8, lying on a bed with gunshot wounds. Both individuals died despite life-saving measures, police said. 

“On that day, our community lost 44-year-old Jessica Orton and 8-year-old Eli Painter in a violent and tragic act,” Police Chief Andrew Burton said in a statement. “The impact of their loss has continued to be felt by their families, friends, and our community. Our thoughts and condolences remain with the Orton, Lyman, and Painter families.

“We recognize that no arrest, prosecution, or outcome can undo the pain caused by this tragedy. We are grateful for the families’ patience, cooperation, and continued confidence in the Saratoga Springs Police Department throughout this lengthy investigation.” 

Saratoga Springs police said that throughout the course of the investigation, dozens of search warrants were obtained and executed and hundreds of items of evidence were collected and extensively reviewed. Numerous items of evidence were submitted to forensic labs, taking significant time to complete and forcing the investigators to wait for results, police said. 

“As additional evidence and forensic results became available, detectives continued to evaluate and corroborate the information developed throughout the investigation,” Saratoga Springs police said. “Most recently, the examination of additional evidence, combined with the totality of the investigative work conducted over the past 17 months, placed our detectives in a position to identify a suspect and establish probable cause for an arrest.”

Unsealed warrants obtained by the Daily Herald last year indicated authorities found two .22-caliber shell casings in the room where the mother and son were found with gunshot wounds. 

A warrant was served on Apple in an effort to obtain access to Lyman’s then 15-year-old son’s email and phone accounts. Investigators also said surveillance footage obtained by a nearby home showed a person in a mask around Lyman’s home the morning of the shooting, and that the mask resembled one found inside a bedroom at the family’s home. 

The unsealed warrants also revealed messages sent from the then 15-year-old son to Lyman that contained hostile and profanity-ridden language. 

Family speaks out 

The families of Jessica Lyman and Eli Painter released a statement Saturday following the suspect’s arrest. 

The Orton family shared the following: 

“Today’s arrest marks an important step toward justice for our daughter and sister, Jessica Orton Lyman, and our grandson and nephew, Eli Painter. While nothing can bring them back, we are deeply grateful to the Saratoga Springs Police Department and all law enforcement agencies who have worked tirelessly on this case over the past months — often at great personal sacrifice and time away from their own families.

“We have many questions that we hope will soon be answered. In the meantime, we are leaning on one another, our faith, and our community as we continue to navigate this tragedy.

“We look forward to working closely with the Utah County Attorney’s Office as the legal process moves forward. We expect that the person responsible for these crimes will be held fully accountable for their actions, without excuse, exception, or leniency. We remain committed to seeing justice served and to honoring Jessica and Eli’s memories through truth, strength, and accountability.

“Our family has appreciated the outpouring of support and respect for our privacy during this difficult time.”

Jason Painter added the following: 

“Today marks a significant step in the pursuit of justice for Jessica and our beloved son Eli. For more than a year, our family has lived with an unimaginable loss. Jessica was a devoted mother whose strength and love touched everyone around her. Eli was a bright, loving little man whose laughter and curiosity brought joy to everyone who knew him. They were so much more than the tragedy that took them. Their lives were filled with love, and they deserved many more years together.

“While this arrest is an important milestone, it does not erase the great pain that’s in our hearts every single day. We are grateful to the investigators, forensic teams, FBI, prosecutors, and everyone who continues to search for answers.

“We also want to thank our community for the prayers, the meals, and the steady presence when words were never enough. Your support has helped carry us through the darkest days. As legal proceedings unfold, we ask for privacy and patience. We trust the court process to do its work to bring justice for Jessica and Eli. We will continue to honor Jessica and Eli by remembering the love they shared, the lives they lived, and the legacy they leave behind, not just how they were taken. We will continue to seek justice in their names.”