A Slain Mother and Son, a Mysterious Lurker, and a Ring Camera: What Secrets Does the Video Hold?

A Ring doorbell camera may be the key to solving the murder of a Utah mother and her 8-year-old son.

Around 10:15 a.m. on March 28, officers were called to a home on Willowbrook Lane in Saratoga Springs after a “report of two individuals unconscious and covered in blood,” according to a newly unsealed search warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

The teen caller told a dispatcher she had just returned home when she discovered her mother Jessica Lyman, 44, and her eight-year-old brother Eli Painter on the floor in her mother’s upstairs bedroom.

Officers arrived on the scene and found the boy deceased. Lyman was flown by medical helicopter to a local hospital where she died three days later.

Police said both victims had been shot and there were no signs of forced entry or an altercation.

According to the warrant, officers obtained Ring doorbell camera footage from other neighbors and saw a “figure” walking in front of the home at 2:18 a.m. on March 28 — hours before the bodies were found.

“The video was too far away to see details of this person, but I believe the victim’s doorbell camera would show this figure in better detail,” a Saratoga Springs detective wrote. “This video may give critical information to identify the suspect in this case.”

According to the affidavit, the detective sent an emergency request to view the footage but the Ring camera company “declined to send any footage due to a perceived lack of exigency.”

The company did confirm to the detective that there was a Ring camera account registered to Lyman’s home.

The detective requested a search warrant for the footage starting from 8 p.m. on March 27 to 11 a.m. on March 28.

“I believe that there is further evidence located in the Ring camera video storage that will assist the investigation of the crimes of criminal homicide or murder,” he wrote.

In an online obituary, Eli, a second grader at Riverview Elementary School, was described as “a bright light” who loved math, Spider-Man, basketball, soccer, and riding his bike.

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“He thrived on curiosity and creativity, whether it was solving puzzles, building intricate LEGO creations, or diving into his favorite video games,” the obituary read. “He had a deep love for Sonic the Hedgehog and could spend hours playing any Sonic game, as well as Minecraft and Mario Party. Recently, he had discovered a new favorite game, pickleball, which was the last thing he played with his family on Tuesday evening before he passed.”

Lyman, according to her online obituary, had “a deep passion for giving back” and loved theater, music, the beach and spending “special moments” with her three children.

“She will be remembered for her kindness, resilience, and the profound impact she had on those around her,” her obituary reads. “Her big, beautiful blue eyes were as unforgettable as her generous heart.”

GoFundMe pages have been set up for Lyman’s family and to support Eli’s father.