A verdict has been reached within the homicide trial of an Ohio man accused of fatally taking pictures his spouse, who had referred to as 911 to report that an intruder broke into their dwelling and killed the mom of two.
Caleb Flynn, 40, who as soon as appeared as a contestant on “American Idol” in 2013, was charged with aggravated homicide, homicide, felonious assault and tampering with proof in reference to the dying of his spouse, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn. He has pleaded not responsible.
The jury deliberated for almost 2 1/2 hours earlier than reaching a verdict Tuesday afternoon. The decision has not but been introduced.
Caleb Flynn listens to closing arguments contained in the Miami County Court docket of Widespread Pleas, Sept. 29, 2026, in Troy, Ohio.
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The previous pastor referred to as 911 early on Feb. 16 to report that his spouse had been shot by an intruder at their dwelling in Tipp Metropolis, north of Dayton. He was arrested three days later.
Prosecutors alleged that Caleb Flynn “executed” his spouse by taking pictures her twice behind the top in mattress in order that he might be together with his mistress and manipulated the crime scene to make it appear as if an intruder had damaged in via the storage.
Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph pointed to proof together with the bodily scene, 911 name, textual content messages between Caleb Flynn and his mistress discussing the tip of his marriage and digital data from the evening of the taking pictures, which he argued “leads straight to the defendant.”
“The proof confirmed that being the sufferer would enable the defendant to maintain his profitable job working for Ashley’s household enterprise, he would profit from Ashley’s life insurance coverage, and he may maintain his place as a working worship chief with zero influence to his popularity throughout the church,” Joseph mentioned throughout closing arguments Tuesday within the Miami County courtroom. “The proof doesn’t inform the story of an intruder.”
Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph delivers his closing argument contained in the Miami County Court docket of Widespread Pleas, Sept. 29, 2026, in Troy, Ohio.
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Joseph argued that key particulars in Caleb Flynn’s recounting of what occurred that evening modified, and on the time when he instructed investigators he was sleeping earlier than being woken up by gunshots, “his gadgets say he was awake and shifting.”
No gun has been discovered within the taking pictures, although Joseph instructed jurors that the restoration of the gun just isn’t a component the state has to show.
“However you heard the defendant stored a 9mm handgun in his truck console. His truck was parked within the storage. That console was up earlier than legislation enforcement arrived and the gun was lacking,” Joseph mentioned. “You heard that Ashley was shot twice in her head with 9mm bullets.”
Protection lawyer Patrick Mulligan delivers his closing argument contained in the Miami County Court docket of Widespread Pleas, Sept. 29, 2026, in Troy, Ohio.
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Protection lawyer Patrick Mulligan argued throughout his closing that the state’s proof is circumstantial, and that the one factor prosecutors proved was that Caleb Flynn was having an affair.
“Connecting a few meaningless dots would not remedy the case,” Mulligan instructed jurors.
Mulligan mentioned Caleb Flynn voluntarily spoke with detectives thrice when he “did not should,” consented to a search of his dwelling and cellphone and voluntarily gave his fingerprints.
“He needed to determine who shot Ashley,” Mulligan mentioned.
Ashley and Caleb Flynn.
Ashley Flynn/Fb
On rebuttal, Miami County prosecuting lawyer Paul Watkins urged jurors to make use of “widespread sense” and argued that the “proof is evident” that Caleb Flynn is responsible.
The proof within the case didn’t start with the 2 gunshots, however months earlier, he argued, citing textual content messages between the defendant and his mistress, Alleigha Botner.
“The defendant, he had Alleigha, and he needed out of his marriage,” Watkins mentioned. “The proof exhibits that his emotions towards Ashley went far past merely wanting a divorce. He hated her.”
Caleb Flynn listens to closing arguments contained in the Miami County Court docket of Widespread Pleas, Sept. 29, 2026, in Troy, Ohio.
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Watkins mentioned the language within the greater than 100,000 messages Caleb Flynn and his mistress had despatched one another “escalated” in months earlier than the taking pictures whereas recounting among the texts, together with one from the defendant that mentioned, “I need my ladies full time in a life with you, however I am unable to have each. So I weigh the choices, and I select you.”
“Not simply hours earlier than Ashley’s execution, the defendant wrote this: ‘Actions will come tomorrow. I am going to by no means not be scared to do that, as I by no means need to damage my daughters. That may at all times be there. However this month away from you has terrified me past perception,'” Watkins mentioned, persevering with to learn the message. “‘I do know I am unable to stay with out you, and so once more, if this offers me a 1% likelihood to spend my life with you, it is the 100% proper resolution. I select you. I am free.'”
Alleigha Botner testifies through the homicide trial of Caleb Flynn in Miami County, Ohio, on Sept. 24, 2026.
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“We’re not right here solely due to somebody’s phrases,” Watkins instructed jurors. “We’re right here as a result of the defendant put actions to these phrases. The defendant made selections.”
Twenty days earlier than Ashley Flynn was killed, Watkins mentioned Caleb Flynn eliminated safety cameras that had been in his dwelling for years, together with one that might have captured an intruder coming in from the storage. The day of the taking pictures, Watkins mentioned the proof exhibits that the defendant was additionally deleting apps off his cellphone and making an attempt to delete his messages.
“Within the hours after Ashley was murdered, the defendant was not mourning the dying of his spouse. He was whispering to his mistress, ‘It did not occur the best way we thought it could,'” Watkins mentioned. “I’m assured after you deliberate, your verdict will inform the world this case didn’t finish the best way the defendant thought it could. The defendant needed a brand new life. He needed Ashley out of their life, and he did not need to face the implications of creating the selection to pursue divorce.”
Caleb Flynn might be seen crying all through the closing arguments. He didn’t testify through the trial and the protection referred to as no witnesses.
He denied killing his spouse in an interview with police days after the lethal taking pictures, in line with video proven through the trial.
His former mistress testified for the state through the trial, studying from among the greater than 100,000 messages they exchanged over her two days of testimony.
“If I may actually kill her and never go to hell, I might do it in a heartbeat,” Caleb Flynn mentioned in a single message from Might 2025, Botner testified.
