On the morning of March 28, 2025, a distressing scene unfolded inside a Saratoga Springs, Utah, home, leading to the death of 44-year-old Jessica Orton Lyman, a White/Caucasian female. Authorities discovered Lyman and her 8-year-old son, Eli Painter, suffering from gunshot wounds in her bedroom. The discovery was made by Lyman's 17-year-old daughter when she returned to their townhome on North Willowbrook Lane.
Eli was pronounced dead at the scene, while Jessica was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. She succumbed to her injuries three days later, on March 31, 2025.
Investigators found no signs of forced entry into the residence, suggesting the perpetrator may have been known to the victims. The case is being investigated as a double homicide. During the investigation, police obtained Ring doorbell camera footage that showed a figure approaching the home at 2:18 a.m. on the day of the incident. While the image was unclear, authorities believe this individual may be connected to the killings. A search warrant was later issued to access the recordings for a clearer view.
As of now, no arrests have been made in the case, and the Saratoga Springs Police Department's investigation remains active. However, newly unsealed search warrants have revealed some disturbing details and a potential suspect. The warrants indicate that police are closely looking at Lyman's 15-year-old son, Noah. According to the documents, he was in the house at the time of the shootings but claimed to have been asleep and heard nothing. When questioned by an officer if there were any "guns" in the home, he replied that he wasn't aware of any, which was noted as suspicious because he had not yet been informed that the victims were shot.
A search of the 15-year-old's room uncovered a handwritten note that read, "This is a murder story." Investigators also found two BB gun pistols and a mask that resembled one worn by the individual seen in the neighbor's surveillance footage. Furthermore, a forensic analysis of Lyman's phone revealed a series of hostile text messages from her son, sent in the months leading up to her death, with one message stating, "I wish I died in your stomach." The search of the home also yielded two. 22-caliber shell casings in the master bedroom. While no murder weapon has been recovered, the investigation is ongoing.
