16-Year-Old Arrested in Saratoga Springs Double Homicide

Detectives have screened two first-degree murder counts with the county attorney as a court will decide whether the suspect is prosecuted as a juvenile or an adult.

Overview

Saratoga Springs police arrested an unnamed 16-year-old male juvenile and booked him into the Juvenile Detention Center in connection with the killings of Jessica Lyman and her son.
The victims, Jessica Lyman and her 8-year-old son Eli Painter, were found shot inside their townhome on March 28; Eli was declared dead at the scene and Lyman died days later after being hospitalized.
Detectives have screened two counts of first-degree murder with the Utah County Attorney's Office, a formal step before prosecutors decide whether to file charges and seek transfer to adult court.
A joint statement from the police department and the Lyman family said previously released warrants gave an outdated account of early investigation steps and that the family has cooperated with investigators.
Because the suspect is a minor his identity is withheld under juvenile confidentiality rules and the case will proceed through screening, potential charging, and court hearings that will determine next legal steps.