Investigation into deaths of Saratoga Springs mother and son ongoing
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- Townhomes in a Saratoga Springs neighborhood where an 8-year-old boy was found dead and his mother in critical condition are pictured Monday, March 31, 2025.
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- An undated photo shows Jessica Lyman, top center, and her son Eli Painter, bottom center, with her other two children.
It’s been two months since the mysterious deaths of Jessica Lyman and her son Eli Painter rocked a Saratoga Springs neighborhood.
In the weeks and months following, questions regarding a potential suspect or suspects related to their deaths persist, though police say they have developed several leads that are being looking into..
On March 28, police said they responded to an area near 1200 Willowbrook Lane after Lyman’s 17-year-old daughter reportedly called and said she’d discovered two people had been shot inside the home.
Painter, 8, was declared dead at the scene.
Lyman, 43, was flown to Utah Valley Hospital to be treated but died three days later.
On Wednesday, exactly two months after the incident, Saratoga Springs police said in a statement that they’ve been working with partnering agencies that are assisting them in “actively and diligently investigating this case” but were not prepared to provide any additional information yet.
“Detectives have developed several leads through ongoing investigative efforts and evidence collection. Investigators continue to thoroughly process additional evidence as it becomes available,” Chief Bill Robertson said in the statement. “Due to the sensitive nature of this case and its ongoing status, no further information can be released to the public or media at this time.”
In April, unsealed search warrants revealed some information about the incident. In the affidavit, police said they did not find any indication of forced entry into the home where Lyman and her son were found with gunshot wounds, and there was no weapon in plain view, KSL TV reported.
The documents also stated that detectives obtained footage from a neighbor’s doorbell camera that saw a “figure” walking in front of the home around 2:15 a.m. on the morning of the incident — roughly eight hours prior to the mother and son being found. Insight into who that figure may have been remains unknown.
Saratoga Springs police declined to offer additional comment to the Daily Herald regarding any threat to public safety, though they’ve previously said they did not believe the community was in any sort of danger.
While police remain reluctant to share more details, they encourage anyone with any information that could be helpful in their investigation to contact the department at 801-766-6503.
