Teen’s Chilling Note Found After Mom and Little Brother Shot in Utah Home

A quiet neighborhood in Saratoga Springs, Utah, was rocked in March when 44-year-old Jessica Lyman and her 8-year-old son, Eli Painter, were found shot inside their home. Now, newly unsealed court documents are revealing chilling clues from inside the house—and raising serious questions.

It was around 2:30 a.m. on March 28 when home surveillance footage caught a shadowy figure slipping through a gap in a backyard fence, wearing a white mask. About half an hour later, the masked figure returned. Then—nothing. No one else was seen coming or going that night.

Inside the house, it was Jessica’s 17-year-old daughter who discovered the horrifying scene. Her mother and little brother were lying on the floor, covered in blood. Eli had been shot twice in the head. Jessica was still alive when paramedics arrived, but she died two days later in the hospital. According to police, her clothes were partially removed in a way that raised red flags.

As investigators combed through the home, they zeroed in on Jessica’s 15-year-old son—who had been there at the time but claimed he heard nothing. He told police he was napping after staying up late on his phone. When asked if there were any weapons in the house, he said he didn’t know of any guns. But police noted something strange: No one had yet told him that a gun was involved.

What they found in his bedroom was deeply disturbing.

First, there was a handwritten note with just five words: “This is a murder story.” Then they uncovered a second note, which mentioned DNA testing, serology, and firearm forensics—terms far from typical for a teenager. They also found a BB gun, tactical gear like plate carriers and magazine pouches, and even intimate clothing that belonged to Jessica.

But perhaps the most haunting discovery was the white-and-brown mask in his room—one that closely resembled the one seen on the masked figure caught on neighbors’ security cameras.

As police dug deeper, they downloaded messages from Jessica’s phone and found a string of cruel, angry texts from her 15-year-old son in the weeks leading up to the murders.

“Do you know how insignificant you are to my life?” read one.

“I wish I died in your stomach,” said another.

While police have not officially named a suspect, the details in the unsealed warrants have left the community stunned and the family desperate for answers. Jessica’s relatives say the loss of both Jessica and Eli has left a hole in their hearts.

“We miss their smiles, their laughter, their joyful spirits,” the family shared in a statement. “When we’re together, it just doesn’t feel whole anymore.”

They’re urging anyone with even the smallest piece of information to contact the Saratoga Springs Police.

The police department, for its part, confirmed the documents were released after a court-ordered seal expired, but emphasized the investigation is ongoing and the victims’ family has been fully cooperative.

Justice may not have arrived yet—but the pieces of this heartbreaking puzzle are slowly coming into focus.