Saratoga Springs teen faces aggravated murder charges for mother and brother's deaths
A 16-year-old boy in Saratoga Springs has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder for the killings of his mother, Jessica Orton Lyman, and his 8-year-old half-brother, Eli Painter.
Nearly 18 months after the slayings of Jessica Orton Lyman, 44, and her 8-year-old son Eli Painter, Saratoga Springs police have charged the teen son, now 16, with two counts of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, in the 4th District Court. The bodies were found the morning after the March 27, 2025, incident when the victim’s 17-year-old daughter returned home and discovered them in the bedroom.
Video from a nearby residence recorded a heated exchange, a woman's voice shouting, and three gunshots shortly after midnight. Additional footage later showed a masked figure matching the teen’s height and build moving through the neighborhood, suggesting possible disposal of the weapon near the Jordan River, where federal and local dive teams later searched. Forensic analysis uncovered gunshot residue on the teen’s clothing, DNA under a victim’s fingernails, and his DNA on the mother’s waistband.
Police also seized handwritten notes referencing forensic evidence and describing the case as a murder story. Chief Andrew Burton said the investigation spanned dozens of search warrants, hundreds of evidence items, and extensive video review. If tried as an adult, the teen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years, up to life imprisonment.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious juvenile homicide charges and the potential for adult prosecution in Utah.
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