Prosecutors say Caleb Flynn discussed killing his wife with his then-mistress before Ashley Flynn was found shot inside their Ohio home.
TROY, Ohio — The former mistress of an ex-“American Idol” contestant accused of killing his wife testified that he repeatedly talked about wanting his spouse dead, as prosecutors presented messages they say help show a motive for the February killing.
Caleb Flynn, 40, is on trial in Miami County in the death of his wife, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn. He has pleaded not guilty to charges that include aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors contend Flynn killed his wife at the couple’s Tipp City home on Feb. 16 and altered the scene to make the shooting appear to have been committed by an intruder. His defense has acknowledged Flynn’s affair but argues that his infidelity and disturbing statements do not prove he killed his wife.
Alleigha Botner, who testified about having an affair with Flynn for about a year and a half, took the stand during the trial and described extensive communications between the two. Botner said they exchanged more than 100,000 messages during their relationship. According to her testimony and messages presented in court, Flynn repeatedly expressed hatred toward his wife and discussed wanting her gone. Botner testified that those statements eventually became more specific, including comments about killing Ashley Flynn while avoiding prison or religious consequences.
Prosecutors also presented messages from the days immediately before Ashley Flynn’s death. Botner testified that she had pressured Flynn to leave his marriage and had become skeptical of his assurances that he would do so. Evidence presented at trial included a message in which Flynn referred to action coming on Feb. 16, the day authorities say Ashley Flynn was killed. Prosecutors are using the communications to support their contention that Flynn had been contemplating his wife’s death before the shooting. The defense has challenged the significance of the messages and warned jurors against treating offensive or selfish statements as proof of murder.
Authorities were dispatched to the Flynn home in the 900 block of Cunningham Court in Tipp City early Feb. 16 after a report of a burglary and shooting. Officers found Ashley Flynn dead inside. Flynn told authorities that an intruder had entered the residence and shot his wife, according to police and court records. The couple’s two children were also at the home. Investigators later questioned Flynn’s account and came to believe the scene had been altered to resemble a burglary, an allegation Flynn contests through his not-guilty plea.
Investigators said they found evidence that caused them to focus on Flynn in the days after his wife’s death. He was arrested Feb. 19, three days after the shooting. A Miami County grand jury returned a broader indictment in March that included aggravated murder, multiple murder counts, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and witness-intimidation charges. The indictment represents allegations, and prosecutors must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Flynn remains presumed innocent unless convicted.
The prosecution has also used testimony about the physical scene to challenge Flynn’s account of an unknown intruder. An Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent testified that investigators did not find signs of forced entry consistent with the story Flynn gave authorities, according to trial coverage. Prosecutors contend Ashley Flynn was asleep when she was attacked and that the scene was staged afterward. Defense attorneys have questioned aspects of the investigation and argued that authorities focused on Flynn too quickly rather than adequately considering other possibilities.
The messages between Flynn and Botner have become a major part of the prosecution’s case. Botner testified that Flynn had talked about killing his wife before Ashley Flynn’s death. She also described the deterioration of her relationship with Flynn as she pressed him to leave his marriage. Prosecutors allege Flynn wanted to be with Botner and point to the communications as evidence of planning and motive. Botner has not been charged in connection with Ashley Flynn’s death.
Flynn had previously appeared as a contestant on “American Idol” and also worked as a pastor. His brief connection to the television competition has drawn national attention to the Ohio trial, but the case centers on the evidence surrounding Ashley Flynn’s death, Flynn’s communications before the shooting and the competing interpretations of the crime scene. Ashley Flynn worked as a substitute teacher and middle school volleyball coach and was the mother of two children.
Flynn’s attorneys have emphasized that an affair and hostile private messages are not themselves evidence sufficient to establish murder. They have also criticized parts of the police investigation. Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins previously defended the investigation, saying officers and assisting agencies followed an investigative process before Flynn was arrested. Prosecutors, meanwhile, are continuing to present witnesses and evidence they say connect Flynn to the killing and undermine his claim that an intruder was responsible.
The trial is expected to continue in Miami County as prosecutors finish presenting their case and the defense has an opportunity to call witnesses and challenge the state’s evidence. No verdict has been reached, and Flynn continues to deny criminal responsibility for his wife’s death.
Author note: Last updated September 27, 2026.