SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — Both the Orton and Painter families issued statements Saturday following the arrest of a suspect in connection to the March 28 double homicide in Saratoga Springs.
In an email sent out by the city of Saratoga Springs on the families' behalf, both families called the arrest "an important step toward justice."
As FOX 13 News previously reported, a 16 year-old male suspect was arrested Friday for allegedly shooting and killing Jessica Lyman, 44, and Eli Painter, 8, inside their townhome on March 28. It is not yet known if the suspect will be charged as an adult.
The following is the statement provided by the Orton Family:
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.
Included in the same email is a statement from Jason Painter:
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.
Saratoga Springs Police previously told FOX 13 News that the Lyman family is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Details about the suspect remain limited, due to the fact they are still a minor.
