Texts, notes reveal lead-up to mom and son's murders: Police
Share this @internewscast.com

Featured: Jessica Lyman and Eli Painter (GoFundMe). Scene: The 200 block of Willowbrook Lane in Saratoga Springs, Utah, where both victims were tragically shot on March 28, 2025 (KTVX).

Recently disclosed search warrants reveal distressing details leading up to the tragic shooting of a local mother and her young son in their home earlier this year, according to Utah police. Text exchanges, handwritten notes, and other data have been central in shedding light on the moments preceding their deaths.

The Saratoga Springs Police Department reported to Law&Crime that no arrests have been made regarding the murders of Jessica Lyman, 44, and her 8-year-old son Eli Painter at their residence on the 1200 block of Willowbrook Lane on March 28. Information and digital evidence collected from various electronic devices were subject to search warrants, which had been previously sealed for 90 days. These documents, now released to the public, provide an account of the events that allegedly led to the deaths of Lyman and Painter.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

According to cops, Lyman and her 15-year-old son exchanged hostile text messages between one another in the days and months leading up to the murders.

“I wish I died in your stomach,” the teen said in one text, according to the search warrants.

“F— off hoe,” he wrote in another. “Do you know how insignificant you really are to my life? Very insignificant.”

A written note found in the boy”s bedroom after the killings allegedly said, “This is a murder story,” per the warrants.

Officers had been called to the home by Lyman’s 17-year-old daughter, who found her mom and brother’s bodies. When they arrived, cops allegedly encountered the 15-year-old and asked him if there were any “weapons” in the home.

“[The boy] responded that he wasn’t aware of any ‘guns’ inside the home,” according to the police warrants. “At that point, [the boy] had not been told by EMS or Police Officers that the incident involved a gun or gunshot wounds.”

More from Law&Crime: ‘Should prob delete later’: Teen who murdered mom and stepdad posted TikTok tributes after slayings declaring they were ‘wrongfully shot dead’ and ‘I miss them,’ police say

An autopsy later confirmed that Painter died from two gunshot wounds to the head, while Lyman suffered a single gunshot to the head and died at the hospital.

Asked on whether anyone was being considered a suspect, a Saratoga Springs Police public information officer told Law&Crime on Wednesday that no one was in custody and that she couldn’t reveal whether authorities had any persons of interest. Questions have swirled locally on whether the suspect is a danger to the community and could harm others, with media outlets highlighting the little amount of information that’s come out from police so far.

“We are focusing on the investigation,” said PIO AnnElise Harrison. “That’s what we feel is most important, to make sure we are investigating and holding those responsible accountable.”

Family members have created a GoFundMe and released a statement through police, saying they “recognize the complexity of emotions surrounding this situation.”

“It has been over three months since a tragic act of gun violence took the lives of our beautiful daughter and sister, Jessica Lyman, and our precious 8 year old grandson and nephew, Eli Painter,” the family said Tuesday night. “Not a moment passes that we don’t feel the weight of this unimaginable loss. Our family is forever changed. While we continue to wait for answers, we remain hopeful that justice will be served and those responsible will be held accountable.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Revealed: Texts Allegedly Showing Emil Bove’s Profane Remark

Accompanied by his attorneys Todd Blanche on the left and Emil Bove,…

‘Elderly Man, 85, Assaulted in Road Rage Incident: Police Report’

Left: John Kreitner (Dearborn Police Department). Right: Judo Whitaker (WXYZ/YouTube). The Kroger…

Judge Cannon Urged to Address Unresolved Mar-a-Lago Matter

Left: Judge Aileen Cannon (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of…

Update: Suspect in Alabama Double Homicide Arrested After Mother and Daughter Discovered Dead in Auburn Home

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has canceled a statewide AMBER Alert for…

“Incident at Florida Motel Involving Alleged ‘Sugar Daddy’ Results in Shooting, One Fatality: Police Report”

Inset: Ronald Davis (Broward County Sheriff”s Office). Background: Plantation Motel in Plantation,…

Sheriff: Uncle fatally attacked nephew and abandoned body roadside

Context: The vicinity of County Road 39 and County Road 8 in…

Husband Murders Wife, Burns House to Destroy Clues: Court Records Reveal

Background: The area of 810 South 23rd Street in Unionville, Missouri (Google…

Girlfriend of Bali bombing survivor has clinic targeted in arson attack

A Melbourne skin-care clinic that was firebombed overnight is owned by the…

Watchdog Accuses Trump Administration of FOIA Violations Concerning Emil Bove Records

Former President Donald Trump is seen in court beside his lawyer, Emil…

Man Found Guilty After Beheading Father During ‘Citizen’s Arrest’

Background: News footage shows Bucks County District Attorney Jen Schorn speaking at…

Frustrated Judge Criticizes Department of Justice Lawyer at Abrego Garcia Hearing

Inset: Kilmar Abrego Garcia in an undated photo (CASA). Background: President Donald…

Minnesota Father Beheaded Teen Boy and Disposed of His Body in a Dumpster

A Minnesota man whose 16-year-old son was found dead last month was…