A former Ohio music pastor who appeared on the TV talent competition American Idol in 2013 has been found guilty of murd£ring his wife so he can be with his much younger mistress.
Caleb Flynn, 40, f@tally sh0t Ashley Flynn twice in the back of the head while she slept at their Ohio home on February 16, 2026, then tried to claim that intruders had shot her.
Flynn wept in court as the jury delivered its verdict.
He also was found guilty of the other eight charges against him, which included aggravated murd£r and tampering with evidence.
He faces life in prison without parole.
Closing arguments ended on Tuesday, September 29, in Flynn’s trial after eight days of testimony, which included a song played in court that prosecutors say he wrote and dedicated to the woman with whom he was having an affair.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented evidence including police body camera footage, and activity on Flynn’s iPhone and Apple Watch around the time of the murd£r, which took place in Tipp City, a suburb of Dayton.
They also called dozens of witnesses, including his former mistress Alleigha Botner, whom he met while she was an intern at his church.
Some of their 100,000 exchanged text messages were read out in court.
“I was up until 4am last night crying, literally thinking of ways to k!ll her and not go to jail,” Flynn wrote in a message to Botner, 24, in August 2025.
In another message, he wrote: “I just want her d£ad and gone.”
Testifying in court, Botner said she now h@tes Flynn “because I believe that he murd£red his wife”.
Caleb Flynn called 911 early on Feb. 16 to report that his wife had been shot by an intruder at their home in Tipp City, north of Dayton. He was arrested three days later.
Prosecutors alleged that Caleb Flynn “ex£cuted” his wife by shooting her twice in the back of the head in bed so that he could be with his mistress and manipulated the crime scene to make it seem as if an intruder had broken in through the garage.
Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph pointed to evidence including the physical scene and a side garage door he said was made to look as if an intruder had damaged it, Caleb Flynn’s 911 call, text messages between the defendant and his mistress discussing the end of his marriage and digital records from the night of the shooting, which he argued “leads straight to the defendant.”
“The evidence showed that being the victim would allow the defendant to keep his lucrative job working for Ashley’s family business, he would benefit from Ashley’s life insurance, and he could keep his position as a working worship leader with zero impact to his reputation within the church,” Joseph said during closing arguments Tuesday in the Miami County courtroom. “The evidence does not tell the story of an intruder.”
Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph argued that key details in Caleb Flynn’s recounting of what happened that night changed, and at the time when he told investigators he was sleeping before being woken up by gunshots, “his devices say he was awake and moving.”
The jury deliberated for nearly two and a half hours before reaching a verdict Tuesday afternoon, finding him guilty of all charges.
Caleb Flynn began to tear up as the verdict was read and appeared to briefly sob in his chair.
The judge revoked his bond and set sentencing for Oct. 5. He faces up to life in prison without parole.
Defense attorneys said they expect there to be a notice of appeal filed.
“While we respect the system, certainly we’re disappointed,” defense attorney Patrick Mulligan told reporters outside the courthouse.
When asked what appellate issues they have, he said, “There’s a lack of evidence on prior calculation and design.”
Prosecuting Attorney Paul Watkins, whose office prosecuted the case, thanked the jury “for their dedication to justice in this case.”
“To be quite honest, I’m tired of talking about Caleb Flynn. It’s time for the community, the media, and everyone else to turn their focus onto Ashley,” Watkins said to reporters outside the courthouse.
“This world would be a much better place if all of us in it lived like Ashley.”
In a statement read by Watkins, Ashley Flynn’s family said they “refuse to let the £vil that ended Ashley’s life have the final word in her story.”
“Ashley loved Jesus with her whole heart. Her faith wasn’t simply something she simply spoke about. It was how she lived,” the statement said. “She loved people well, found joy beyond her circumstances, prayed boldly for her family, and wanted her life to point people to Jesus.”
“Most of all, she loved being a mom,” the statement continued. “She prayed over her girls, taught them to love God, and showed them what it looked like to live with faith, kindness, joy, and grace.”
