Police screened two first-degree murder counts after a 17-month investigation into the deaths of Jessica Lyman and her young son.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the 2025 killings of Jessica Lyman and her 8-year-old son, Eli Painter, marking a major development in a case that remained unresolved for nearly a year and a half.
Saratoga Springs police said the teenager was taken into custody Aug. 14 and booked into a juvenile detention center. Detectives screened two counts of first-degree murder with the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors had not announced whether the case would proceed in juvenile court or whether they would seek to have the teenager charged as an adult. Police did not release his identity because he is a minor.
The arrest stems from the March 28, 2025, shootings at a home on Willowbrook Lane in Saratoga Springs. Officers responding to a medical-assistance call found Lyman and Painter suffering from gunshot wounds. Painter died at the scene, while Lyman was taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries.
Police Chief Andrew Burton said investigators spent about 17 months building the case before reaching the point where they believed they had probable cause for an arrest. According to the department, detectives obtained and executed dozens of search warrants, collected hundreds of pieces of evidence, conducted numerous interviews and reviewed extensive video, records and other information.
Some evidence was sent to forensic laboratories, and police said portions of that testing took significant time to complete. Investigators continued reviewing and comparing results as they became available. Burton said the examination of additional evidence, combined with the larger body of investigative work, eventually allowed detectives to identify a suspect and establish probable cause.
The investigation also drew assistance from several agencies. Saratoga Springs police said the FBI, Utah State Crime Laboratory, West Jordan Police Department and Utah County Sheriff’s Office Evidence Team helped with the case. The Utah County Attorney’s Office also consulted with investigators during the investigation.
The arrest comes several months after the victims’ relatives publicly marked the first anniversary of the killings. In a March statement, the family said a full year without an arrest had been difficult but that relatives remained in regular contact with investigators and believed the case was continuing to move forward. Police said at the time that evidence was still being processed and detectives remained focused on the investigation.
The legal process now presents a separate question from the arrest itself. Police said the two first-degree murder counts they screened will be presented to the appropriate court after authorities decide whether the teenager should face proceedings as a juvenile or an adult. An arrest and the screening of potential charges do not establish guilt, and the accused is entitled to the protections of the judicial process.
Police said the investigation remains active despite the arrest. Detectives are continuing follow-up interviews, finishing portions of the case and analyzing additional information. Authorities had not announced a final charging decision or a court date as of Saturday.
Author note: Last updated August 15, 2026.