SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the murders of Jessica Lyman and Eli Painter more than a year ago.
Due to the suspect being a juvenile, his identity was not released and he has been booked into the Juvenile Detention Center. Detectives have screened two counts of first-degree murder with the Utah County Attorney's Office.
Those charges will be presented to the appropriate court to determine if they will be charged as a juvenile or an adult.
Jessica Lyman and her 8-year-old son, Eli Painter, were both found shot inside their townhome in Saratoga Springs on March 28, 2025. Painter was declared dead at the scene, while Lyman died days later after being hospitalized.
Saratoga Springs family cooperating with murder investigation, police say:
Warrants served in the weeks after the deaths claimed issues that law enforcement officials had with family members during its early investigation.
In the joint statement released by the Saratoga Springs Police Department and the Lyman Family, authorities pointed out that the warrants connected to the first steps of the investigation, and were recently released, "provided an outdated narrative regarding the cooperation of the Lyman family in the investigation."
The department went on to say that the Lyman Family had been cooperating with police.