Caleb Flynn Case Updates

READ IN FULL: Caleb Flynn Presentencing Statement 

Caleb Flynn Sentenced to Life Without Parole

Caleb Flynn was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the aggravated murder of his wife, Ashley Flynn. The court also imposed additional consecutive sentences that amount to 16 years before the life-without-parole sentence begins.

At the outset of the hearing, prosecutors and the defense agreed that Counts 1 through 6 arose from the same course of conduct against the same victim and should merge for purposes of sentencing. The State elected to proceed on Count 1, aggravated murder, and no separate sentences were imposed on Counts 2 through 6. The associated firearm specifications, however, did not all merge.

Defense attorney Patrick Mulligan asked the court to impose a sentence that would preserve the possibility of parole. He emphasized that Flynn had no prior criminal record and objected to any finding that the murder constituted the “worst form of the offense.” Mulligan also asked that sentences capable of being served concurrently be ordered concurrent. He separately preserved an objection concerning consecutive firearm specifications for purposes of a future appeal.

Prosecutor Paul Watkins asked for life without parole, arguing that the murder was not an impulsive act but the culmination of Flynn’s growing hostility toward Ashley, his affair, statements about wanting her gone and efforts to conceal electronic activity. The State also accused Flynn of staging the scene to resemble a burglary and later attempting to influence what his daughters told investigators.

Flynn Addresses the Court

Flynn then spoke publicly at length for the first time since his arrest. He addressed his daughters, parents, brother, Ashley’s family, his church and friends, frequently becoming emotional.

His statement drew a clear distinction between the conduct he admitted and the crime for which the jury convicted him. Flynn apologized for his affair, his lies, the hurtful things he said about Ashley and the pain his decisions caused both families. Addressing Ashley’s family, he said, “I take complete accountability and responsibility for my words and my decisions.” He later described the things he had said about Ashley as what he was “most ashamed of” and regretted most.

But Flynn did not accept responsibility for Ashley’s death. He acknowledged that he had “unfortunately lied about a lot of things over the last couple of years,” before insisting that he was telling the truth about the central allegation against him.

“I did not kill my wife.“

Flynn said he intends to continue fighting to prove his innocence.

Ashley’s Family and Daughters Address Flynn

The court received 13 victim-impact statements, with several members of Ashley’s family speaking or having statements read during the hearing. Much of the focus was on the impact Ashley’s death has had on the couple’s two daughters, who are now being raised by relatives.

Both daughters submitted deeply personal statements addressed to their father. They described missing their mother, feeling betrayed by Flynn and struggling to understand how their father could have killed her. One daughter urged him to admit what he had done and repent, while the other wrote that Ashley “was the best thing that ever happened to you” and concluded by telling him that she did not plan to visit him.

Ashley’s parents told the court that their family had chosen to forgive Flynn because of their Christian faith but stressed that forgiveness did not eliminate the need for accountability. Citing what they described as the violent nature of Ashley’s murder and Flynn’s lack of confession or remorse, they asked the judge to impose the fullest sentence permitted by law.

Judge Finds Flynn Poses the “Highest Risk”

Before imposing sentence, Judge Jeannine Pratt acknowledged factors weighing in Flynn’s favor. He had no prior adult criminal record and had been law-abiding for a significant period of time.

Those factors were outweighed, however, by the court’s findings concerning the seriousness of the crime and Flynn’s conduct. The judge found that Flynn demonstrated no genuine remorse, that his relationship with Ashley placed him in a position of trust that facilitated the offense, and that the murder occurred in the vicinity of the couple’s children. The court found no factors making the offense less serious.

Judge Pratt then told Flynn that the evidence and jury’s verdict left her with one “clear and obvious conclusion”: that he posed an “extreme risk of harm to the public. In fact, the highest risk.”

She condemned what she described as the layers of “deceit, manipulation, and cruelty” surrounding the crime and said she found Flynn’s use of his faith to manipulate others “deeply disturbing.” The judge noted that Flynn could have ended his marriage or simply walked away, rather than taking Ashley’s life and leaving his daughters to grow up without their mother.

The Sentence

Judge Pratt imposed life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on Count 1, aggravated murder.

The court additionally imposed:

• Three years for the firearm specification attached to Count 1;
• Three years for the firearm specification attached to Count 2;
• One year for the firearm specification attached to Count 7;
• Three years each on Counts 7, 8 and 9 for tampering with evidence.

The firearm specifications total seven mandatory years, while the three tampering convictions total another nine years. The judge ordered the terms to run consecutively, expressly summarizing Flynn’s sentence as seven years on the firearm specifications, followed by nine years for tampering with evidence, followed by life without the possibility of parole.

Flynn received credit for 229 days already served and was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to Ashley’s parents, Todd and Jill Smith. No fine was imposed, although Flynn was ordered to pay court costs.

The court also formally advised Flynn that he has the right to appeal and that a notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of sentencing. At the conclusion of the hearing, Mulligan again preserved an objection “for the future lawyers,” another indication that appellate proceedings

September 29, 2026 – Caleb Flynn Found Guilty on All Nine Counts; Defense Plans Appeal

A Miami County, Ohio, jury found Caleb Flynn guilty on all nine counts in connection with the murder of his wife, Ashley Smith Flynn, following approximately two hours and 25 minutes of deliberations.

Flynn stood as the court read the unanimous verdict, which included:

• Count 1: Aggravated Murder
• Count 2: Murder
• Count 3: Felony Murder – Felonious Assault (Serious Physical Harm)
• Count 4: Felony Murder – Felonious Assault (Physical Harm by Means of a Deadly Weapon)
• Count 5: Felonious Assault (Serious Physical Harm)
• Count 6: Felonious Assault (Physical Harm by Means of a Deadly Weapon)
• Counts 7–9: Tampering with Evidence

The jury also returned guilty findings on the accompanying firearm specifications for Counts 1–7.

Following the verdict, the court revoked Flynn’s bond and scheduled sentencing for Monday, October 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. The judge indicated that a presentence investigation would not be ordered but allowed time for the preparation and submission of victim impact statements.

Prosecution’s Post-Verdict Statement

Speaking to reporters following the verdict, the Miami County prosecutor thanked the jury, investigators, law enforcement agencies, victim advocates, and Ashley’s family for their dedication throughout the investigation and trial.

The prosecutor described the case as an example of collaboration among law enforcement agencies and emphasized that public attention should now shift away from Flynn and toward remembering Ashley and the life she lived.

Statement from Ashley Smith Flynn’s Family

The prosecutor also read a statement on behalf of Ashley’s family, expressing gratitude for the verdict while acknowledging that no conviction could restore what they had lost.

The family described Ashley as a devoted mother and woman of deep Christian faith whose life was characterized by kindness, joy, and compassion.

They emphasized that they did not want Ashley to be remembered solely for the circumstances of her death, but for the life she lived and the love she gave to others, particularly her daughters.

The family thanked the jury, prosecution, investigators, and community members who supported them throughout the proceedings and requested privacy as they continue grieving and caring for Ashley’s children.

Tip City Police Chief Greg Atkins also delivered a statement thanking the numerous local, state, and federal agencies involved in the investigation and acknowledging the continued suffering of Ashley’s family.

Defense Responds: Appeal Anticipated

Defense attorney Patrick Mulligan, joined by co-counsel Emily Smith, addressed reporters following the verdict.

Mulligan expressed disappointment with the outcome and stated that he fully anticipates a notice of appeal will be filed, indicating that the conviction will be thoroughly challenged through the appellate process.

When questioned about the defense’s decision to rest without calling witnesses, Mulligan maintained that the prosecution had failed to establish the necessary elements of its case. He also explained that Flynn’s statements to investigators had already been presented to the jury three times and that he saw no reason to have Flynn testify again.

Mulligan confirmed that Flynn continues to maintain his innocence.

Asked about potential appellate issues, Mulligan specifically identified what he characterized as a lack of evidence establishing prior calculation and design, an essential element of aggravated murder under Ohio law.

He also addressed the relatively brief deliberation period and acknowledged that Flynn was upset by the verdict.

Regarding potential sentencing, Mulligan explained that the first six counts would merge and outlined the possible aggravated murder sentences as 20 years to life, 25 years to life, 30 years to life, or life without parole, in addition to a three-year firearm specification.

The defense reiterated its intention to pursue appellate review, with Mulligan stating that the verdict would be tested at multiple levels of appeal.

Next Court Date: Sentencing – October 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.

Looking Ahead: October 5 Sentencing

Flynn’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. The court has elected not to order a presentence investigation (PSI) but will allow victim impact statements for consideration.

According to defense attorney Patrick Mulligan, the aggravated murder conviction carries four possible sentencing alternatives: 20 years to life, 25 years to life, 30 years to life, or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, with an additional mandatory three-year sentence for the firearm specification. The first three alternatives provide eventual parole eligibility, not guaranteed release.

We will also be watching for mitigating arguments from the defense, statements from Ashley’s family, and whether Flynn chooses to address the court. Mulligan has indicated that he anticipates appealing the conviction, specifically challenging the sufficiency of the evidence establishing prior calculation and design. A final trial update will follow sentencing.

Defense Attorney: Patrick Mulligan

In his closing argument, defense attorney Mulligan argued that the prosecution had failed to establish Caleb Flynn‘s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, characterizing the state’s case as one built on assumptions, circumstantial evidence, and an investigation that failed to adequately pursue alternative leads.

Mulligan reminded jurors that their responsibility was to evaluate the evidence presented, not fill in gaps in the prosecution’s case. Comparing jurors to baseball umpires, he emphasized that they were there to call balls and strikes, not make the pitches themselves.

He also challenged the aggravated murder charge, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish prior calculation and design. According to Mulligan, the extensive communications between Flynn and his mistress demonstrated an affair and marital discussions, but contained no evidence of a developed plan to kill Ashley, including the method, means, or weapon.

Key Arguments Regarding the Physical Evidence

• Missing murder weapon: The firearm was never recovered, and the defense argued there was no evidence establishing that Flynn fired or disposed of a gun that night.

• Gunshot residue: Investigators instructed Flynn to wash his hands, eliminating an opportunity to test them. His clothing, carpeting, and other potential locations were not tested for gunshot residue.

• DNA evidence: Mulligan highlighted the presence of unidentified foreign DNA on the truck’s center-console release button, where Flynn reportedly stored his handgun. He argued that investigators failed to adequately pursue this finding. 

• No evidence Flynn left the property: The defense maintained that the evidence placed Flynn at his residence from approximately 6:59 p.m. until the following morning, with no established departure that would explain how he disposed of the missing firearm.

• K9 search: Mulligan questioned the reliability of the search, noting that numerous individuals had already moved through the property and that the handler could not provide sufficient information about the dog’s accuracy. He also criticized the failure to conduct an article search using Flynn’s scent.

• Toolmark evidence: Of more than 80 tools collected, none was identified as having produced the damage to the side-door handle. Mulligan argued that a hammer described as consistent with the damage could not be distinguished from countless similar hammers.

• Gunshot wounds: Mulligan pointed to the close proximity and parallel paths of Ashley’s two gunshot wounds, arguing that the shooting demonstrated steadiness and control inconsistent with the emotionally distraught Flynn depicted in the initial body-camera footage.

Criticism of the Investigation

A significant portion of Mulligan’s argument focused on what he described as investigative failures involving the multiple law enforcement agencies assigned to the case.

He questioned why investigators:

failed to examine potentially relevant Flock camera footage
thoroughly investigate certain tips
search fields behind Pastor Jordan’s property
review rear-camera footage at that location
or interview additional individuals identified during the investigation

He also criticized the limited geographic scope of the drone search, which occurred at least an hour after the 911 call, and the absence of physical evidence establishing that Flynn attempted to clean or conceal evidence inside the home.

Mulligan argued that Flynn voluntarily participated in three investigative interviews, consented to searches of his home and phone, provided fingerprints, DNA, and agreed to a polygraph examination.

He maintained that investigators committed themselves to Flynn as the suspect before receiving laboratory results and continued pursuing that theory even when subsequent evidence failed to substantiate it.

Alleigha Botner and an Alternative Motive

Mulligan challenged the credibility of Flynn’s mistress, Alleigha Botner, focusing on her admitted dishonesty with investigators, the disposal of a church-owned laptop during a Florida trip, her damaged phone, and her failure to disclose a secondary phone that she reportedly had in her possession when speaking with the FBI.

He argued that the prosecution’s extensive presentation of the affair inadvertently raised questions about Botner’s own motive.

According to the defense, Flynn’s derogatory statements about Ashley were intended to maintain Botner’s interest in the relationship rather than express an actual intention to murder his wife. Mulligan suggested Flynn wanted to preserve both relationships, pointing to affectionate communications between Flynn and Ashley shortly before her death and his repeated failure to meet Botner’s deadlines for leaving his marriage.

He argued that Botner, who wanted to become Flynn’s wife, had a greater incentive to see Ashley removed from the relationship.

Mulligan questioned why investigators had not more thoroughly examined Botner’s finances, her activities and potential contacts during the Florida trip, or whether she could have arranged for someone else to commit the crime. These were presented as alternative investigative possibilities, not established facts.

He further emphasized that despite approximately 107,000 messages, investigators had identified no communications between Flynn and Botner discussing a murder plan, weapon, or method.

Evidence-Tampering Charges

Mulligan also disputed the prosecution’s evidence-tampering allegations.

He argued there was no proof Flynn disposed of the missing firearm or personally damaged the side-door handle. Regarding the electronic evidence, he noted that digital forensic testimony could not establish whether missing browsing history had been manually deleted or resulted from private browsing. He also pointed out that Botner had access to Flynn’s passwords.

Conclusion

Mulligan concluded that being unfaithful, making offensive statements about one’s spouse, or behaving poorly in a marriage does not establish guilt for murder.

He reminded jurors that the defense was not required to prove an alternative theory or present its own case. The burden remained entirely with the prosecution.

He urged jurors to distinguish between evidence that might appear coincidental or suspicious and evidence sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, ultimately requesting a verdict of not guilty.

Prosecution Closing Argument

The prosecution delivered its closing argument by returning to the central theme introduced during opening statements: Caleb Flynn‘s own words, particularly his communications with his mistress in the days and hours preceding the murder of his wife, Ashley Flynn.

Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph argued that the State had established Flynn’s motive, intent, opportunity, and subsequent efforts to conceal his involvement through a combination of physical, forensic, digital, and circumstantial evidence. He urged jurors not to evaluate individual pieces of evidence in isolation but to consider how they corroborated one another.

The Nine Charges

The prosecution began by reviewing the elements of the nine charges against Flynn:

• Count 1: Aggravated murder, requiring proof of prior calculation and design.
• Count 2: Murder, requiring proof that Flynn purposely caused Ashley’s death.
• Counts 3–4: Felony murder, based on the underlying felonious assault charges.
• Count 5: Felonious assault involving serious physical harm.
• Count 6: Felonious assault involving physical harm caused by a deadly weapon.
• Counts 7–9: Tampering with evidence.

The three tampering charges concerned the alleged disposal of the murder weapon, manipulation of the side garage door to simulate forced entry, and deletion of emails. The prosecution also reviewed the firearm specifications attached to Counts 1–7.

The Missing Firearm and Physical Evidence

The State emphasized that Flynn reportedly kept a 9mm handgun inside the center console of his truck, which was parked in the garage. When investigators arrived, the console was open and the firearm was missing. Ashley had been shot twice in the head with 9mm ammunition.

Although the murder weapon was never recovered, the prosecutor reminded jurors that recovering the firearm was not a required element of the charged offenses.

Additional physical evidence highlighted during closing included:

• Flynn’s fingerprints on his truck door, the hood of Ashley’s van near the alleged break-in area, and the refrigerator.
• His DNA on the exterior doorknob that had been broken off the side garage door.
• His blood on the master bedroom light switch.
• His DNA on the release button of the truck console where he reportedly stored his handgun.
• A tracking K9 that repeatedly attempted to return to the garage rather than follow the alleged intruder’s trail.

The Allegedly Staged Burglary

The prosecution devoted particular attention to the side garage door, which Flynn identified as the intruder’s point of entry. Joseph referenced testimony from multiple law enforcement witnesses who described the damage as inconsistent with a typical forced-entry burglary. He noted that the witnesses collectively had more than 100 years of law enforcement experience and had examined more than 800 forced-entry doors.

BCI Agent David Hammond had characterized the scene as a homicide staged to resemble a burglary. An FBI toolmark examiner also identified multiple toolmarks on the interior portion of the doorframe. The prosecutor additionally reminded jurors that officers found the damaged door already unlocked when they first examined it. 

According to the State, these findings contradicted Flynn’s account of an unknown intruder breaking into the residence.

Digital Evidence and Flynn’s Account of Sleeping

The prosecution challenged Flynn’s statements that he had been asleep before discovering Ashley had been shot. Joseph pointed to digital forensic testimony documenting activity involving Flynn’s electronic devices during the hours leading up to the murder, including:

• Apple Watch movement data.
• AirPods activity.
• iPhone activity.
• Application deletion.
• Face ID unlocking activity before the 911 call.
• Digital records associated with the 911 call.

The State argued that this activity was inconsistent with Flynn’s account of being asleep and that his changing descriptions of the events further undermined his credibility.

The Affair, Text Messages, and Alleged Motive

The prosecutor returned to Flynn’s relationship with Alleigha Botner, arguing that their communications established a motive and provided context for his actions. Particular emphasis was placed on messages exchanged late on February 15, shortly before Ashley’s murder and before Flynn deleted the GroupMe application from his phone.

Among the statements highlighted were:

• “I choose you.”
• “I’m free.”
• “Actions will come tomorrow.”
• “Day I’ll never forget.”

The State also referenced earlier messages in which Flynn expressed hatred toward Ashley, discussed wanting her gone or dead, and described a future with Botner. Joseph argued that Flynn wanted to preserve his relationship with Botner while avoiding the personal and professional consequences of leaving his marriage. 

The prosecution identified several alleged benefits of portraying himself as the surviving victim of a home invasion: retaining his employment with Ashley’s family business, maintaining his reputation and position as a church worship leader, receiving life insurance benefits, and keeping his daughters without the consequences of a divorce.

Addressing the defense’s opening argument that investigators had discovered the affair and then worked backward to construct their case, Joseph maintained that the communications were only one component of the evidence. As he summarized the State’s position:

“The affair helps explain why. The rest of the evidence shows you what he did.“

The Prosecution’s Final Argument

Joseph concluded by urging jurors to consider the evidence collectively: the missing handgun, the condition of the garage door, the forensic findings, Flynn’s electronic activity, deleted communications, and inconsistencies in his accounts to law enforcement.

The prosecution maintained that the only evidence supporting the existence of an unidentified intruder came from Flynn’s own statements, which the State argued were contradicted by the remaining evidence. Joseph asserted that the combined evidence established that Flynn had deliberately shot Ashley twice in the head and subsequently attempted to make her death appear to be the result of a burglary.

The State requested a verdict of guilty on all nine counts.

September 28, 2026 – Trial Day 7: Final Testimony; Prosecution and Defense Rest

The prosecution concluded its case against Caleb Flynn on September 28 with testimony from Detective Sergeant Mike Morgan and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) criminal intelligence analyst Samantha Reeb.

The final day included the presentation of Flynn’s third recorded police interview, additional digital evidence, investigative timelines, and extensive cross-examination concerning the collection and presentation of evidence.

Both parties rested their cases at approximately 3:00 p.m., with the defense electing not to call any witnesses. Closing arguments and jury instructions were scheduled for September 29.

Detective Sergeant Mike Morgan – Continued Testimony

Flynn’s Third Police Interview

The prosecution resumed Morgan‘s testimony by playing State’s Exhibit 296, Flynn’s third recorded interview with Morgan and Chief Deputy Steve Lord.

During the interview, Flynn was asked to draw a diagram of his residence and reconstruct his movements during the hours preceding Ashley’s death. 

According to Flynn’s account:

➤Approximately 8:00–8:30 p.m.: Caleb and Ashley put their daughters to bed.
➤8:30–11:00 p.m.: The couple spent time in the living room watching television while Ashley read.
➤Approximately 11:00 p.m.: They moved to their bedroom, where Ashley continued reading and Caleb used Twitter/X.
➤Approximately 11:45 p.m.: They prepared to go to sleep.
➤Approximately 12:45 a.m.: Ashley asked Caleb to move to the couch because of his persistent coughing.
➤Caleb took Equate cough medication and eventually fell asleep on the living room couch.
➤He later awoke to the sound of a dog’s collar, prompting him to check on his daughters, who had both been sick.
➤He stated that he adjusted his youngest daughter’s blanket, prayed over the children, and fell asleep beside her in the bottom bunk.
➤He subsequently awoke to several loud noises, which he did not immediately recognize as gunshots.
➤After pausing for several seconds, he ran toward the master bedroom, noticed the door leading to the garage was open, and attempted to wake Ashley.
➤Flynn placed the 911 call at approximately 2:30 a.m., estimating that two to five minutes had elapsed since he heard the gunshots.

Investigators questioned Flynn about his movements, the lighting conditions, the open garage door, and the amount of time between hearing the shots and discovering Ashley.

Cross-Examination: Investigative Decisions and Missing Evidence

Defense attorney Mr. Mulligan questioned Morgan extensively about the investigation, including the decision to arrest Flynn before laboratory results were available.

Gunshot Residue Testing

Morgan acknowledged that Flynn was never tested for gunshot residue (GSR). The defense established that Flynn had been instructed to wash his hands after fingerprinting, an action Morgan agreed could remove gunshot residue.

When asked why investigators had not requested a voluntary GSR test earlier, Morgan explained that they believed residue could have transferred to Flynn when he entered the bedroom shortly after the shooting, as Flynn had described. Nevertheless, no GSR sample was collected. [Note that in the above interview timeline it states that Flynn said two to several minutes passed before he entered the master bedroom.]

Arrest Before Laboratory Results

Morgan confirmed that investigators had not received the laboratory results when Flynn was arrested. Prosecutor Watkins had the final say in the arrest decision following discussions among the investigative team. The defense questioned whether investigators reconsidered their theory after laboratory testing failed to identify Flynn as the shooter. Morgan maintained that investigators believed the available evidence supported the direction of their investigation.

Additional Investigative Questions

Mulligan also raised several issues concerning alternative leads and investigative procedures:

➤Investigators had not weighed the refrigerator positioned near the garage entrance.
➤Morgan had not personally examined Flock camera footage.
➤He could not recall whether fields behind Pastor Jordan‘s residence had been searched.
➤He was unable to provide definitive answers about the disposition of certain tips involving suspicious individuals.
➤Morgan acknowledged that he had not personally reviewed Officer Little’s report concerning information provided by Zachary Martin, an individual reportedly associated with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Morgan explained that responsibilities had been divided among multiple agencies and investigators, including the FBI.

On redirect, the prosecution established that the Wright-Patterson-related project under discussion was located off base. Morgan also testified that he had worked with the FBI previously and had no reason to question the thoroughness of its investigation.

Samantha Reeb – BCI Criminal Intelligence Analyst

The prosecution’s final witness was Samantha Reeb, a criminal intelligence analyst with approximately 12 years of experience at the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Reeb analyzed cell phone extractions, social media returns, communications, location information, and other investigative records. She prepared several visual exhibits to organize the evidence chronologically.

Instagram Evidence and the Derek Hammet Account

Reeb testified about an Instagram account registered under the name Derek Hammet. Her analysis established that photographs used by the account were also recovered from Caleb Flynn’s phone, with matching dates and times.

The account’s registration IP address was traced to a Tip City residence associated with Flynn’s family and their business. Reeb also testified that the iPhone model associated with Flynn’s device had accessed Ashley’s Instagram account. She cautioned that the device information alone could not establish who physically accessed the account.  

Her analysis further revealed that Caleb’s Instagram account had blocked Ashley’s account.

GroupMe Communications Between Flynn and Alleigha Botner

Reeb reviewed approximately 107,000 GroupMe messages exchanged between Flynn and Botner.

Her report organized selected communications into categories, including:

➤Significant relationship events and discussions about Flynn leaving Ashley.
➤Messages referencing killing Ashley, making her disappear, or getting rid of her.
➤Statements expressing hatred toward Ashley.
➤Concerns about divorce.
➤Discussions about deleting WhatsApp, iCloud, and other digital records.
➤Communications immediately preceding Ashley’s death.

Reeb described the deterioration of Flynn and Botner’s relationship as Flynn repeatedly failed to meet deadlines for leaving his marriage. Botner ended their communication around January 11, 2026. Their GroupMe exchanges resumed on February 14. The report also documented 716 messages, including three deleted messages, in the final communication period between February 15 and the morning of February 16.

Digital Timeline: February 15–16

Reeb presented a consolidated timeline using device extractions, communications, and other records. Among the events highlighted:

Reeb also presented location data extracted from Flynn’s phone concerning his movements on February 15, including a comparison with messages he sent Botner about attempting to speak with family members.

Cross-Examination: Selection and Context of Digital Evidence

The defense questioned Reeb about how she selected messages for inclusion in the prosecution’s exhibits. Reeb explained that she used keyword searches to identify communications relevant to the homicide investigation and subsequently reviewed the messages. 

Defense counsel emphasized that the prosecution’s presentation represented a relatively small selection from approximately 107,000 messages. He also established that certain exhibits presented individual statements without their surrounding conversations.

Reeb acknowledged that she manually highlighted statements concerning Flynn wanting Ashley dead, gone, or removed. The defense pointed out that Botner had also expressed hostility toward Ashley, but those statements were not similarly highlighted in the relevant sections. Reeb explained that the exhibits were organized according to their designated subject matter.

Evidence Recovered From Ashley’s Phone

The defense introduced additional material from Ashley‘s own phone, including personal notes and screenshots. Among the items presented:

• An August 12, 2025, task list that included scheduling coffee with Alleigha Botner. The item was not checked off.
• A December 26, 2025, note concerning family devotion time, children’s routines, and getting on the same page with Caleb.
• A September 14, 2023, note describing significant marital difficulties, including a lack of intimacy, respect, fondness, and appreciation.
• A screenshot saved January 25, 2026, containing messages in which Ashley expressed feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about communication within her relationship.
• A January 26 screenshot of an article titled A New Spouse Is Not the Answer.

The defense questioned why certain materials were absent from the prosecution’s consolidated timeline. Reeb acknowledged that some information had been redacted and that not every item was included. Defense Exhibits D and E, containing materials recovered from Ashley’s phone, were admitted into evidence without objection.

Both Parties Rest

Following Reeb’s testimony, the prosecution announced that it had no additional witnesses. 

The defense elected not to present a separate case-in-chief and rested without calling witnesses.

The court addressed the admission of exhibits and informed jurors that closing arguments and jury instructions would begin the following morning, September 29 [2026].

The jury was dismissed at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Next: Closing Arguments, Jury Deliberations, and Verdict.

Day 6 of the Caleb Flynn trial continued with extensive digital-forensics testimony before moving into evidence gathered from Ashley Flynn’s phone, electronic records, neighborhood surveillance video and, late in the day, recorded police interviews with Caleb Flynn.

Special Agent Joseph Wilhelm – Digital Forensics Continued

Special Agent Joseph Wilhelm returned to complete his testimony concerning the electronic devices examined during the investigation. Wilhelm testified about a note recovered from Caleb Flynn’s phone containing lyrics associated with the songs introduced during the previous day’s testimony. He also discussed records showing that one of the audio files was played through AirPods on the evening of February 15.

Investigators recovered an AirPods charging case from the residence. Wilhelm also examined an Apple Watch Series 9 associated with Caleb. Although forensic software could not perform a full extraction directly from the watch, Wilhelm manually examined it and matched identifying information from the watch to Apple Health data recovered from Caleb’s iPhone.

Wilhelm also performed a full-file-system extraction of Alleigha Botner’s iPhone. Among the findings:

Botner’s phone was first unlocked at approximately 7:46 a.m. on February 16.
The phone recorded no steps between approximately 12:13 a.m. and 9:20 a.m.
At approximately 8:29 a.m., the phone accessed a news story about a woman killed during an apparent burglary in Tipp City.
Investigators recovered one of the same songs previously discussed during testimony.
Screenshots of ChatGPT conversations appeared to concern helping Caleb obtain a divorce.
Location data placed Botner’s phone near her mother’s residence during the late evening of February 15. Shortly after midnight, the device traveled from that area and arrived near Hurst Drive at approximately 12:14 a.m.

Wilhelm also examined a laptop associated with Caleb. Among the browsing history recovered were February 18 searches asking whether Fire Sticks have cameras, whether an iPhone can record video while its screen is off, and whether an iPhone that is turned off and charging could record video.

On cross-examination, the defense questioned the limitations of some of the Apple data, particularly whether particular AirPods activity could establish that a person had intentionally performed an action. Wilhelm acknowledged that some activity could occur automatically depending on device settings and that he could not determine which of two possible scenarios caused a particular audio-source change.

FBI Special Agent Andrea Kinzig

FBI Special Agent Andrea Kinzig testified that she joined the investigation on February 17 and assisted Tipp City Police with investigative coordination, digital evidence, interviews, search warrants and review of records obtained from electronic service providers.

Kinzig addressed a tip alleging that someone connected to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base may have been hired to kill Ashley. Investigators followed up on the information. The person identified as the apparent source ultimately told investigators that the idea had merely been speculation and that he had no information showing anyone had actually been hired to kill Ashley.

Kinzig also conducted a forensic extraction of Ashley Flynn’s iPhone. She testified that investigators found no evidence on Ashley’s phone indicating that Ashley was having an extramarital affair.

Deleted messages recovered through the phone’s system data did, however, reveal some marital tension. In one January exchange, after Caleb said he was worshipping and would call later, Ashley responded, “You can be honest. Is it her?” Other messages showed Ashley expressing frustration over Caleb’s lack of responsiveness and over his failure to make a reservation for their Valentine’s Day dinner.

Investigators also found searches on Ashley’s phone asking whether an iCloud account could be hacked and whether someone could hack an iCloud account and create a fake conversation.

Kinzig testified that she did not find communications suggesting Ashley feared for her safety, nor did she identify significant disputes between Ashley and anyone other than the marital frustrations reflected in communications with Caleb.

The FBI also obtained records from Google, Amazon and other electronic service providers as part of the investigation.

Joseph Strapman – Neighborhood Surveillance Video

Joseph Strapman testified about Ring surveillance cameras at his Hurst Drive residence. His cameras were motion activated and positioned around the front, back and garage areas of his home. Strapman provided law enforcement with three recordings from February 15 and 16. Investigators had reviewed additional footage on his phone and selected the three clips they wanted him to provide.

The recordings included footage timestamped approximately 6:54 p.m. on February 15, 12:14 a.m. on February 16 and 9:57 a.m. on February 16. The videos were admitted into evidence without defense objection.

Jordan Hansen

Jordan Hansen testified about his Hurst Drive residence and identified his home in surveillance footage shown to the jury. The video showed a white SUV leaving the garage. Hansen testified that his home did not have its own surveillance system at the time. He also said he learned of Ashley Flynn’s death on February 16 but never discussed with Caleb what had happened to Ashley, and Caleb never told him what had happened to her.

Detective Sergeant Morgan – Caleb Flynn’s Recorded Interviews

Detective Sergeant Morgan testified about his response to the Flynn residence and the subsequent investigation. He described obtaining a search warrant and coordinating with BCI agents who processed the home. 

Morgan interviewed Caleb at the Tipp City Police Department at approximately 4:28 a.m. on February 16. The interview was voluntary and recorded on video and audio. 

During the first interview, Caleb described February 15 as essentially a normal family day. The girls were sick and remained home with Ashley while Caleb attended church. Ashley later went to Target, and Caleb went to the YMCA.

Caleb also told Morgan about two incidents he considered unusual. He said Ashley had previously told him about an unfamiliar man who came to the house claiming to be selling something, and he mentioned an earlier incident involving a man at Lifewise who allegedly made a remark about knowing where people lived. 

Caleb described the events immediately preceding Ashley’s death. He said he and Ashley stayed in the living room until approximately 11 p.m. before going to their bedroom. Caleb was coughing and took an over-the-counter nighttime medication.

According to Caleb, he later woke after hearing one of the dogs moving and its collar making noise. Believing one of his daughters might have gotten up, he went to check on the girls.

In this recorded police interview, Caleb said he tucked the girls in and then laid down on the bottom bunk with his youngest daughter for a short time. He said he subsequently heard two gunshots.

Caleb said he left the girls’ room, went toward the master bedroom, called Ashley’s name and touched or shook her foot or lower leg. When she did not respond, he turned on the light, saw what had happened and ran back to the living room to retrieve his phone and call 911.

This portion of the interview is notable because an earlier body-camera conversation introduced in the case contains different wording regarding where Caleb said he was immediately before hearing the shots. In that conversation, Caleb said he had laid down on the couch after checking on the girls. In the recorded police-station interview played on Day 6, however, he repeatedly described sitting or lying on the bottom bunk in the girls’ room before the gunshots.

Second Police Interview

Morgan also conducted a second voluntary interview with Caleb later on February 16. During that conversation, investigators questioned Caleb in greater detail about his movements inside the house, the condition of doors and the physical evidence investigators were beginning to observe. 

Caleb again said the dog woke him, that he checked on his daughters, prayed over them and then sat or lay on the bottom bunk. He said he fell asleep for an unknown amount of time before hearing two shots. 

Morgan also questioned Caleb about his relationship with Ashley. Caleb maintained that they had a normal marriage and denied serious marital problems. He acknowledged that they argued occasionally and said their most recent disagreement involved discipline for one of their daughters and whether she would be permitted to attend a sleepover. 

At one point Caleb told Morgan that the questioning felt as though investigators were beginning to point toward him. Morgan responded that investigators had to examine every possibility and that search warrants and forensic testing would help determine what happened. 

The conversation also turned to firearms. Caleb said he kept a handgun in the center console of his truck and believed it might have been a Springfield purchased years earlier in South Carolina. He said his wife and daughters knew the gun was kept there but, to his knowledge, people he worked with did not.

Morgan explained that investigators would examine the bedroom for gunshot-related evidence, DNA, blood and other forensic evidence and would search Ashley’s phone for communications that might reveal a motive or conflict.

Caleb continued to deny knowing anyone who would want to harm Ashley, pointing again to the unfamiliar salesman and the incident connected to Lifewise as the only unusual encounters he could recall. 

The recorded interviews gave jurors their most extensive opportunity thus far to hear Caleb Flynn describe, in his own words, the hours preceding Ashley’s death and his account of what happened inside the house before and after the gunshots.

Joseph Wilhelm — BCI Digital Forensics Expert

The final witness of Day 5 was Joseph Wilhelm, a special agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation assigned to the cyber crime unit. Wilhelm was accepted by the court as an expert in digital forensics. He testified that he examined approximately 12 digital devices during the investigation into Ashley Flynn’s death, including Caleb Flynn’s iPhone.

Wilhelm said investigators initially could not extract Caleb’s iPhone using Cellebrite at the Tipp City Police Department. They even took the phone back to the Flynn residence in an attempt to access it from a “trusted location,” but that attempt also failed. Wilhelm eventually obtained a full-file-system extraction at BCI using another forensic tool.

Browsing History and Deleted Apps

Wilhelm found that the available Safari browsing history on Caleb’s phone covered only a short period beginning on February 15. However, other digital artifacts showed browsing activity dating back much further. Wilhelm testified that this could indicate either that browsing history had been deleted or that private/incognito browsing had been used.

One Google search recovered from February 15 at approximately 3:07 p.m. was for “best cough medicine for adults.”

The phone also contained numerous web artifacts associated with Alleigha Botner, including 73 Instagram-related entries. Wilhelm testified that there were no text messages between Caleb and Ashley Flynn on the phone and no remaining GroupMe messages, although artifacts indicated that GroupMe had previously been installed.

Investigators also identified several recently uninstalled applications:

February 14 at approximately 9:10 p.m.: AI Music Song Generator
February 15 at approximately 3:05 p.m.: ChatGPT
February 16 at approximately 1:01 a.m.: GroupMe
February 16 at approximately 1:02 a.m.: Instagram

The Blink security-camera application remained installed on Caleb’s phone, but its last recorded use was January 30.

Caleb’s Location on February 15

Location data showed Caleb’s phone leaving the Flynn residence at approximately 5:49 p.m. on February 15. It stopped near a Circle K, traveled north toward Troy, and was near the YMCA from approximately 6:03 to 6:43 p.m. The phone later stopped near CVS before returning to the Flynn residence at approximately 6:59 p.m.

Wilhelm testified that after the phone returned home, its location data showed it remaining in the area of the residence until Caleb left for the Tipp City Police Department at approximately 4:15 a.m. the following morning.

An Apple Watch transaction for $5.96 at Circle K was also recovered from the February 15 trip.

Phone Activity Before the 911 Call

Wilhelm then focused on the period immediately preceding the 911 call. Caleb’s iPhone was plugged into power shortly after 1:07 a.m. and remained locked while charging. Wilhelm testified that he found no user activity on the phone itself during that period.

The phone was unplugged at approximately 2:30:36 a.m. and unlocked using Face ID approximately two seconds later. Step activity from the iPhone began at approximately 2:30:48 a.m.

The phone’s data showed the 911 call being initiated at approximately 2:30:52 a.m. and connecting at 2:31:05 a.m.

Apple Watch Heart Rate and Movement

Apple Health data provided another timeline. An Apple Watch identified as “Caleb’s Apple Watch” began recording heart-rate information at approximately 1:33 a.m. The final heart-rate reading from the watch occurred at approximately 2:10 a.m. Wilhelm testified that the presence of heart-rate readings indicated, from a digital-forensics standpoint, that the watch was being worn when those measurements were recorded.

The Apple Watch also recorded several periods of movement:

1:19:46–1:19:48 a.m.: 18 steps
1:22:09–1:22:45 a.m.: 18 steps
1:23:23–1:23:36 a.m.: 34 steps
1:52:40–1:56:35 a.m.: 21 steps
2:18:37–2:28:11 a.m.: 105 steps

After approximately 2:28 a.m., no additional step activity was recovered from the Apple Watch. The next recorded movement came from Caleb’s iPhone beginning at approximately 2:30:48 a.m.

Wilhelm said the data suggested the Apple Watch may no longer have been worn after approximately 2:28 a.m., although he did not testify that the data established exactly when or why it was removed.

AirPods Activity

Investigators also recovered Bluetooth data associated with Caleb’s AirPods. The AirPods had connected to the phone earlier in the evening from approximately 8:35 to 8:45 p.m. They were detected again at approximately 2:29:34 a.m. and connected at approximately 2:29:42 a.m. The AirPods themselves were not recovered at the residence, although investigators found a charging case in a nightstand on the side of the bed opposite where Ashley was found.

Wilhelm also examined changes in the phone’s audio routing. He testified that the data indicated the AirPods may have been detected as being worn before the 911 call. Because Caleb’s phone was locked at the time, Wilhelm said the audio source could not have been manually changed through the phone. He identified two possibilities: the AirPods were automatically detected as being worn, or the audio source was changed through the Apple Watch.

However, Wilhelm also cautioned that AirPods’ in-ear detection is not perfect. While they are very good at detecting when they are actually placed in an ear, he said they can sometimes register as being worn when held in a hand or placed in a pocket. No audio-level data showed music or other media playing through the AirPods during the relevant period, and Wilhelm said there were no phone calls recorded during that time.

Consolidated Digital Timeline

Wilhelm combined the various data sources into a single timeline. Among the most significant events:

1:07 a.m. — Phone plugged in, briefly unlocked and then locked
1:19–1:56 a.m. — Multiple periods of Apple Watch step activity
2:17 a.m. — Audio source changes to Caleb’s AirPods
2:18–2:28 a.m. — Apple Watch records 105 steps
2:29 a.m. — AirPods detected and connected
2:30:36 a.m. — Phone unplugged
2:30:38 a.m. — Phone unlocked
2:30:48 a.m. — iPhone begins recording steps
2:30:52 a.m. — 911 call initiated according to one database
2:31:05 a.m. — 911 call connects

Wilhelm acknowledged that the 911 call appeared out of chronological order on the exhibit because he had manually created the table.

AI-Generated Songs and Alleigha Botner

Wilhelm also recovered AI-generated audio files from Caleb’s phone that related to his relationship with Alleigha Botner. Investigators found lyrics in Caleb’s Notes application that matched lyrics in the generated songs. 

An email associated with Caleb also showed that a star had been purchased through a star-registry website on Alleigha’s behalf and named “Alleigha Star.”

The jury was played two versions of an AI-generated song. The lyrics described a romantic relationship portrayed as deeper than friendship, referred to an age difference and repeatedly referenced “the third” as an important date. The song described losing the woman and imagining a future that the couple had nearly shared.

The prosecution concluded Wilhelm’s testimony by playing the songs for the jury. Court then recessed for the day.

On cross-examination, the defense focused heavily on Alleigha Botner’s credibility, her intense emotional investment in Caleb Flynn, her resentment toward Ashley Flynn, and the broader context surrounding some of Caleb’s most damaging messages.

The defense first questioned Botner about her behavior immediately following Ashley’s death. Botner acknowledged conducting internet searches in the days afterward involving murdered wives, unsolved homicides, and her own name alongside Ashley’s. She also admitted that when the FBI first interviewed her on February 20, she was not truthful about her affair with Caleb because she wanted to protect her reputation. During that first interview, she said she did not believe Caleb had killed Ashley.

By her second interview, after she had obtained an attorney and disclosed the affair, she told investigators that she believed he had. Botner explained that her belief was based on what she considered the extraordinary coincidence of Ashley dying on the day Caleb was supposedly preparing to leave her. She acknowledged that she had not contacted law enforcement or anyone else about those suspicions before investigators approached her.

The defense also explored Botner’s lost and replacement electronic devices. She testified that her iPhone fell into the ocean during a January trip to Florida and that she subsequently used a prepaid phone and another phone loaned to her by church members. The prepaid phone was not confiscated by police. Botner also testified that a church-owned MacBook Pro she took to Florida was lost either at the Tampa or Cincinnati airport or on the flight home. She said she filed a lost-property claim but never recovered it.

Much of the cross-examination centered on Botner’s relationship with Caleb and the enormous volume of messages between them. Botner acknowledged that Caleb was part of the worship team she led at Christian Life Center and that, in that capacity, she was his leader. She also acknowledged knowing their affair violated her faith and said that was part of the reason they concealed it.

By February 2025, their affair had already been underway for approximately a year. The two ultimately exchanged more than 107,000 text messages, and Botner acknowledged that she sent substantially more messages than Caleb. She testified that she loved him, wanted to marry him and hoped to have children with him. She also admitted that she developed resentment toward Ashley.

The defense then introduced numerous messages illustrating Botner’s jealousy and need for reassurance. She repeatedly questioned Caleb about

whether he was spending time with Ashley
asked for photographs or screenshots proving where he was
worried about Valentine’s Day and Ashley’s birthday
monitored Ashley’s social media
became upset when Caleb participated in family activities with his wife and daughters.

Botner acknowledged that she frequently sought validation from Caleb and that their arguments commonly revolved around his interactions with Ashley, while Caleb expressed jealousy over Botner’s interactions with other men.

That context became particularly important when the defense revisited Caleb’s statements that he hated Ashley. Botner acknowledged that those statements often occurred during conversations in which she was seeking reassurance that Caleb did not love his wife. She testified that she sometimes questioned whether Caleb actually hated Ashley because she saw evidence that the couple still spent time together and saw affectionate messages from Ashley on his phone. Botner agreed that Caleb sometimes lied to make her feel better and conceded that his statements about hating Ashley “might have been” another example.

The defense also supplied additional context for one of Caleb’s most disturbing messages. On May 16, 2025, Botner was upset because Caleb was participating with Ashley in their daughter’s birthday celebration. After a series of angry messages from Botner about Caleb and Ashley acting together “as parents,” Caleb responded that he hated his life and the situation and said that if he could “literally kill her and not go to hell,” he would. On cross-examination, Botner agreed that the statement came during a conversation in which she was upset about Caleb spending time with Ashley.

The defense presented another lengthy exchange from August 2025 in which Botner described herself as devastated by Caleb remaining married to Ashley. She told Caleb that Ashley “haunts” her and said that if he could remove Ashley from his life and provide believable proof that he hated her, she might consider allowing him back into her life. Caleb responded that he had been awake crying and “trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.” Botner agreed that his statement came in response to her request for proof of how much he hated Ashley.

Botner acknowledged there were many other messages in which she herself expressed hatred for Ashley, wished Ashley were gone, or demanded that she be gone—although Botner testified that by “gone,” she meant divorced from Caleb. Significantly, Botner said that when either she or Caleb talked about killing Ashley during the relationship, she did not believe Caleb literally meant it because she did not think he was capable of killing someone.

The defense then moved to the crucial February 15, 2026 conversations. Botner testified that Caleb told her he had finally found a way out of his marriage and intended to leave Ashley. Although she remained skeptical because he had made similar promises before, she said most of her believed this time he would actually follow through. Most importantly, Botner testified that when Caleb wrote that he was about to be “free,” was “taking action,” and was “protecting” her, she understood those statements to mean divorce—not murder. She said she “never” interpreted those messages as Caleb planning to kill Ashley.

Botner also explained the ChatGPT research and discussions about lawyers, housing, employment and deleting electronic data. She testified that she believed Ashley could expose the affair during a divorce and feared Caleb’s phone might eventually be searched. According to Botner, her concern about deleting messages was to prevent discovery of their affair—not to conceal a murder plot.

Finally, the defense questioned Botner about her actions after learning Ashley was dead. Botner acknowledged asking Caleb whether he was responsible and admitted she was suspicious of him. Nevertheless, she went to the Smiths’ home with other church members because her boss asked her to go and because she wanted to behave normally and avoid exposing the affair. She did not tell anyone about her suspicions for several days.

The defense closed by establishing that law enforcement never searched Botner’s apartment or vehicle, never collected her DNA or fingerprints, and that Botner has not been charged in connection with Ashley Flynn’s death. Botner also testified that prosecutors had not promised her anything in exchange for her testimony. The defense then ended its cross-examination, and there was no redirect examination.

FILE: Alleigha Botner and Caleb Flynn Text Messages Read in Court 

Alleigha Botner’s testimony continued with prosecutors taking the jury through months of private messages between Botner and Caleb Flynn — messages documenting their affair, their turbulent relationship, Flynn’s repeated expressions of hatred toward his wife Ashley, and discussions about a future together.

The messages stretched across much of the year preceding Ashley Flynn’s death. Again and again, Flynn told Botner that he hated Ashley and did not want to remain in the marriage. Some of the language was particularly stark. In a May 16, 2025 message, Flynn wrote that if he could “literally kill her and not go to hell,” he would. Two days later, he wrote, “I want her dead.” In June, he told Botner that unless Ashley “dies, cheats again, or we find a way to get rid of her,” Ashley would remain part of their lives.

Botner was not simply the recipient of those statements. Her own messages showed intense resentment toward Ashley and increasing frustration with Flynn for remaining married. In July 2025, Botner wrote, “I want to kill her.” Flynn responded, “That makes two of us.” Other exchanges repeatedly referred to wanting Ashley “gone” and to finding a way for Botner and Flynn to finally be together.

As the months passed, another theme became increasingly prominent: Botner wanted Flynn to leave his marriage. By November, Botner was telling Flynn she needed Ashley gone in order to be okay and repeatedly seeking reassurance that he actually intended to leave. Flynn responded that he needed Ashley gone as well and assured Botner, “I’m leaving her.” Botner eventually told him, “Leave her and then you can have me.”

That pressure intensified as the relationship moved into January and February 2026. Botner testified that she gave Flynn a deadline, telling him that if he did not leave Ashley, their relationship was over. The messages showed that Flynn had discussed leaving before, sometimes after periods of fasting and prayer, but had repeatedly remained in the marriage.

January 11: Botner Ends the Relationship

By early January, Botner’s frustration over Flynn’s repeated promises to leave Ashley had reached a breaking point. On January 3, Botner demanded a firm timeline. She told Flynn that if he did not leave Ashley the following week, she was “completely giving up on us.” She reminded him that he had previously fasted and prayed about leaving the marriage several times, only to remain with Ashley. Botner made the ultimatum explicit:

“If you leave her next week, we can have forever. If you don’t, you never have me again.”

She later wrote:

“As Jesus is my witness right now, I swear on absolutely everything that I love. If you do not leave her next week, I don’t want this anymore for the rest of my life.”

The deadline was January 11. When that date arrived without Flynn leaving Ashley, Botner told him the deadline was over. She wrote that she had received no updates from him despite his promise to keep her informed and told him she had finally accepted that he did not want her enough. “It’s time for me to put my big girl pants on, be strong, and officially move on from you and us,” she wrote. “I was so ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I had never been more sure about anything and anyone in my entire life. I was wrong.”

Flynn responded the following day, January 12. He told Botner he had attempted to arrange a conversation with Ashley after getting their daughters out of the house, but said Ashley had avoided the discussion. He acknowledged that Botner considered the relationship over and told her he was “literally numb.”  

Botner testified that after the January 11 deadline passed, she did not respond to Flynn’s messages again until February 14. That month-long break in communication provided important context for what happened next. When Botner and Flynn resumed communicating in mid-February, Flynn was again telling her he intended to leave Ashley — but this time Botner was no longer simply waiting for him. She told him she had begun trying to move on and had even agreed to a date with another man.  

On February 15, Botner reminded Flynn of the opportunity he had lost:  “You could have had it all on January 11th, and now I’ve slowly been trying to distract myself from the pain and loss of you.”

Flynn nevertheless continued telling her he intended to leave Ashley. When Botner directly asked whether, knowing she had a date scheduled with someone else, he was still leaving Ashley that week, Flynn answered, “Yes.” That exchange set the stage for the messages that followed on February 15 and into the early morning hours of February 16, as Flynn discussed telling family and church leaders about his decision, finding somewhere else to live, and beginning the process of leaving the marriage.

February 15 2026: “I’m not changing my mind”

The messages from February 15 — the day before Ashley’s death — became especially significant. Flynn told Botner he intended to speak with Todd and Jill Smith about leaving the marriage. He said he had gone to their home but found no one there and promised he would speak with them the following day. Botner expressed concern that he would back out again.

Flynn responded that he was not changing his mind and told her that if leaving gave him even a “1% chance” of having her, he was going to do it. Botner warned him that Todd and Jill might urge him to remain in the marriage because “God can heal any marriage.” Flynn replied that he did not care what they said. Botner told him she needed him to be “free from a fake life and her.” Flynn responded that he could not imagine being free of what he described as the weight and burden of the marriage.

Deleting Messages and Discussing Burner Phones

The jury also heard extensive messages showing Botner and Flynn discussing how to keep their communications hidden. They discussed deleting message threads, wiping an iPad, whether old messages could be recovered or subpoenaed, changing passwords and using different messaging applications. Botner researched whether deleted communications could be recovered and sent Flynn information about the divorce process.

They also discussed obtaining burner phones. Flynn asked whether there was another way he could communicate with Botner and said, “I need a burner phone.” Botner told him she had one he could use, and they discussed prepaid phones and how they would communicate going forward. Flynn also instructed Botner to let him initiate contact and suggested that they delete their message threads immediately after communicating.

The Final Night

Late on February 15 and into the early morning hours of February 16, Botner and Flynn continued messaging. Flynn talked about leaving the house, finding another place to live and beginning a new life. When Botner asked whether he was sad about leaving the family home, Flynn said he was not attached to it and wanted to make new memories somewhere else. Their conversation continued past midnight.

At approximately 12:45 a.m., Botner told Flynn, “You’re about to be free.” Flynn replied:  “I choose you, Aaliyah. You’re more than enough.”

According to Botner, that was the last message she received from Flynn before learning that Ashley had been killed. At 7:50 that morning, before Botner said she knew what had happened, she sent Flynn another message giving him the number for her burner phone and reminding him to contact her there once he obtained his own burner. 

After learning of Ashley’s death, Botner sent another message:  “Caleb, I just saw the news… What is going on right now? Were you behind this?” Botner testified that she later deleted that message.

“It Didn’t Happen the Way We Thought It Would”

Botner also described seeing Flynn later that day at the Smiths’ home, where church staff had gathered following Ashley’s death. According to Botner, Flynn hugged her and the first thing he said was: “It didn’t happen the way we thought it would, did it?”

Botner testified that she was suspicious and began questioning him about how someone could have entered the Flynn home without him knowing. She said Flynn told her he had been sleeping on the couch. According to Botner, Flynn said he first woke when the dog was shivering, went back to sleep, and later woke to a gunshot. Flynn told her he then saw the garage door standing open and found Ashley in her bedroom with blood everywhere.

Botner testified that the messages presented to the jury accurately reflected her conversations with Flynn during the year before Ashley’s death. Taken together, her testimony gave jurors a detailed look inside the secret relationship between Flynn and Botner — including their repeated discussions about Ashley, Flynn’s promises to leave his marriage, their efforts to conceal their communications, and their final conversation only hours before Ashley was killed.

Mistress Testifies: Affair, Secret Messages and Flynn’s Statements About Wanting Ashley Dead

The prosecution presented some of its most significant evidence yet when Alleigha Botner, the woman who had been having an affair with Caleb Flynn, took the stand.

Botner testified that she met Flynn at Christian Life Center in 2022, when she was 20 and he was approximately 36 or 37. Their relationship remained professional until March 2024, when they began communicating more frequently. By May 2024, she said, the relationship had become sexual.

According to Botner, Flynn told her his marriage to Ashley was essentially over. He claimed Ashley had cheated on him, that he viewed her as a roommate, that he hated her, and that he remained in the marriage because of their daughters. Botner acknowledged that she knew Flynn was married and said she knew the affair was wrong.

The affair continued for approximately a year and a half and involved an extraordinary volume of communication. Botner testified that she and Flynn exchanged approximately 107,000 messages through GroupMe alone — nearly 300 messages per day on average. They regularly deleted their communications and moved between messaging platforms in an effort to keep the relationship hidden.

Botner said Flynn repeatedly expressed hatred toward Ashley during those communications.

She testified that he said he wanted Ashley “gone” at least weekly and made statements about wanting her to die approximately once a month. According to Botner, those statements escalated over time — from saying he wished Ashley were dead or gone to saying that, if he could kill her without going to jail, he would. She also testified that Flynn once told her he had stayed awake thinking about ways to kill Ashley.

The prosecution then began walking Botner through Flynn’s actual messages. Among them was a February 11, 2025 exchange in which Flynn wrote that he needed Ashley “to die, to cheat again, to leave.” Five days later — exactly one year before Ashley’s death — Flynn wrote that he hated her and did not want to be near her.

Other messages introduced in court included statements attributed to Flynn such as:

• “Kill douche.”
• “I want her dead and gone.”
• “I want her gone so bad.”
• “I hate her with everything in me.”
• “I want her dead and gone.”

In a March 10, 2025 exchange, Flynn wrote that he wanted Botner as his wife and the mother of his children and asked, “How do I escape this?” Botner responded that he had to find a way. Flynn then wrote, “I want her dead and gone.”

Caleb allegedly told Botner that Ashley was not even “worthy” of being called by her first name. Instead, he said they would refer to her as “douchebag.” Botner acknowledged that she participated in the cruelty, telling jurors that she used most of the same names for Ashley, including “Spawn of Satan”, “bitch”, “whore”, “Slut” and other insults.

Botner also testified about the increasingly serious future she and Flynn discussed together. They talked about marriage, took trips and dates outside the area where they were less likely to be recognized, and even got matching Harry Potter lightning-bolt tattoos. Flynn placed his tattoo in his armpit, Botner testified, because he did not want Ashley to see it.

The Ultimatum

By late 2025, Botner said she was tired of waiting for Flynn to leave his wife. She began giving him deadlines. Each time, Flynn promised he would leave Ashley, but according to Botner, he failed to follow through.

Finally, in January 2026, Botner gave him what she described as his last chance: leave Ashley by approximately January 11 or she was moving on with her life.

Flynn did not leave.

Botner stopped communicating with him and said the two had essentially no contact until February 14 — two days before Ashley Flynn was killed.

February 14: Flynn Says He Is Finally Leaving Ashley

On Valentine’s Day, Flynn contacted Botner again. Botner testified that Flynn told her he was finally going to leave Ashley. The two met at Christian Life Center after services that evening. According to Botner, Flynn told her that he had already spoken to Ashley and told her he was divorcing her.

Botner remained skeptical. She reminded him that he had promised to leave before and had never done it. She also told Flynn she had a date with another man scheduled for March and warned him that if he did not act quickly, she might never want to be with him again.

February 15: Deleting Messages — and Preparing for Divorce

The following day — the day before Ashley’s death — Botner and Flynn discussed how to eliminate evidence of their affair. Botner acknowledged that she used ChatGPT to research whether deleted messages could be recovered, whether courts could obtain them during divorce proceedings and whether Venmo transactions between her and Flynn could be discovered. She then sent Flynn screenshots of what she found.

Botner testified that she was worried Ashley might expose the affair during a divorce and that she could lose her job or damage her reputation. She said she sent Flynn instructions about permanently deleting their messages “just in case anyone were to search his phone.”

The screenshots were timestamped at approximately 5:47 p.m. on February 15. They included questions about recovering deleted messages, subpoenas, custody, divorce proceedings, financial records and whether Venmo transactions could be discovered.

Botner also testified that Flynn had discussed obtaining a burner phone after the divorce and paying cash for it. According to her, Flynn believed using another phone would be safer if Ashley disclosed their messages and authorities or attorneys searched his regular phone.

“Tomorrow’s a Big Day”

At the same time, Flynn was telling Botner exactly what he intended to do the following morning. According to Botner, Flynn said that on February 16 he would tell Ashley’s parents what was happening, speak to his daughters, contact someone about a new job, arrange a hotel and move his belongings out of the marital home. He told her his actions would finally prove he was serious.

Botner testified that Flynn said February 16 would be “a day I never forget.” Their communications continued past midnight.

Among the last things Botner remembered Flynn telling her were that “tomorrow’s a big day,” that he chose her, and that he was about to be “free.”

February 16: Ashley Flynn Is Dead

Botner woke around 8:00 a.m. expecting to hear from Flynn. Instead, she eventually received an Instagram message from a member of Christian Life Center asking whether she had heard what happened to Mrs. Flynn. The person sent her a news report about Ashley’s death.

Botner testified that her heart began pounding. In her mind, she said, it seemed like too much of a coincidence: this was supposed to be the day Flynn finally divorced Ashley — and suddenly Ashley was dead.

Botner immediately messaged Flynn asking what was happening and whether he had been involved. He did not respond. She then deleted the message because, with a murder now involved, she believed investigators would search Flynn’s phone and discover the affair.

Botner Admits She Initially Lied to the FBI

The prosecution also confronted a significant credibility problem directly: Botner initially lied to the FBI. She admitted that during her first interview she was not truthful about her relationship with Flynn. Botner said she was afraid the affair would destroy her reputation and cost her job — particularly now that the relationship was connected to a murder investigation.

She began revealing more, she testified, after investigators told her they had found messages on Ashley’s phone. By the time she testified in court, Botner made clear that her feelings toward Flynn had changed dramatically. Asked how she feels about him now, she answered:

“I hate him.”

Asked why, Botner told the jury that she believes he murdered his wife.

From Affair to Alleged Motive – Words Become Evidence

Botner’s testimony gives the prosecution evidence touching several parts of its theory at once:

a long-running affair
Flynn’s desire for a future with another woman
mounting pressure from Botner to leave his marriage
repeated statements about wanting Ashley dead or gone
efforts to conceal the affair
discussions about deleting electronic evidence
a renewed promise to leave Ashley immediately before her death

Most importantly, the State is not relying solely on Botner’s recollection of private conversations. Prosecutors have begun presenting Flynn’s own messages to the jury — messages written months before Ashley’s death in which he repeatedly expressed hatred toward his wife and, on multiple occasions, said he wanted her dead or gone.

The timing presented by the prosecution is also central: Botner testified that Flynn spent February 15 discussing divorce plans with her, told her his “actions” would prove his intentions the following day, and ended the night saying that February 16 would be a big day and that he was about to be free.

Ashley Flynn was killed the next morning.

Botner’s testimony was still ongoing when court recessed for the day. The State had reached only part of the enormous collection of messages between her and Flynn, with additional testimony still to come.

Law Enforcement and Forensic Testimony Focuses on the Alleged Break-In

Day 4 of testimony focused heavily on the law-enforcement investigation of Ashley Flynn’s death, including the condition of the garage entry door, extensive searches of the Flynn property and surrounding area, evidence collection, interviews with Aaliyah Botner, and forensic testing conducted by the FBI. A central question running through the testimony was whether the damage to the garage door was consistent with someone forcing their way into the Flynn home.

Detective Brad Kline – Tipp City Police Department

Detective Brad Kline, a veteran law-enforcement officer who currently serves on a DEA task force, testified that he arrived at 932 Cunningham Court at approximately 3:45 a.m. on February 16.

After briefly entering the master bedroom and observing Ashley Flynn deceased in the bed, Kline examined the garage. He saw that the exterior access door was open, the doorknob had been broken off, and pieces of the knob, trim and wood were lying on the garage floor.

Kline testified that, based on his experience seeing dozens of doors forcibly entered, the damage did not appear consistent with a typical forced entry. He specifically pointed to the location of the debris, which he said was on the inside of the garage.

Investigators also canvassed the neighborhood. A nearby Ring camera showed law enforcement arriving but did not capture anything investigators considered relevant before that. Klein said none of the neighbors he interviewed reported seeing or hearing anything unusual before police arrived.

The search for evidence was extensive. Investigators:

• searched the house and surrounding property;
• attempted to search the attic, even renting an insulation vacuum to remove large amounts of blown-in insulation;
• searched neighboring areas and a nearby wooded area;
• lifted a shed with heavy equipment so investigators could look underneath it; and
• followed up on video provided by a resident several blocks away.

Those efforts did not locate the missing firearm or other significant evidence outside the residence. Kline also helped remove the damaged garage door and surrounding frame from the house so the entire assembly could be preserved and examined.

On cross-examination, the defense emphasized limitations in the neighborhood canvass. Although several neighbors had cameras, investigators did not have usable footage from most of them, and the sensitivity of the neighboring Ring camera had not been tested. The defense also established that none of the people Kline interviewed reported hearing anything before police arrived.

Additional Law-Enforcement Assistance

As the homicide investigation expanded, Tipp City Police requested assistance from the Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Law-enforcement officers conducted additional searches of the residence and surrounding property. One investigator testified that the damage to the garage entry door was not consistent, in his opinion, with other forced-entry doors he had encountered during his career.

A grid search of the backyard and wooded area also failed to locate evidence outside the home.

Investigators eventually collected approximately 70 tools from inside the Flynn residence, primarily from the garage but also from other areas of the house. The tools, along with portions of the damaged door and frame, were submitted to the FBI laboratory for forensic examination.

Aaliyah Botner Interviews

Law enforcement also testified about its investigation of Aaliyah Botner and her relationship with Caleb Flynn. Investigators interviewed Botner on February 20 and collected her cellphone. According to testimony, Botner initially denied having an intimate or sexual relationship with Flynn and characterized their relationship much differently. Investigators already had information that caused them to question that account, including messages recovered from Ashley Flynn’s phone and information provided by one of Ashley’s friends.

A second interview was conducted on February 26 with Botner’s attorney present. Investigators testified that she was substantially more forthcoming during that interview about her relationship with Flynn. 

The defense emphasized that Botner had initially been untruthful with investigators and also questioned law enforcement about other phones she had used, including discussion of a possible “burner phone.”

FBI Tool-Mark Examination

One of the most significant witnesses of the day was FBI forensic examiner Sarah Stuchel, who specializes in firearms and tool-mark analysis. Stuchel examined numerous tools collected from the Flynn residence and compared them with marks found on the garage door, door frame, strike plate and pieces of damaged wood. The examination included dozens of tools ranging from screwdrivers and pliers to hammers and other household tools.

One item received particular attention: a claw hammer recovered from the Flynn garage. Stuchel testified that the general size and profile of the hammer were consistent with a mark found on a broken piece of wood from the door frame. She was also able to demonstrate a direction in which a similar hammer could have produced that type of mark.

But that finding came with an important limitation. The FBI examination could not identify that hammer as the tool that actually made the mark. Stuchel explained that there were insufficient microscopic individual characteristics to make that determination. Her formal conclusion from the tool-mark comparisons was inconclusive.

On cross-examination, the defense drove that point home. 

Stuchel agreed that she could not establish that any of the approximately 70 tools examined had been used to damage the door. She also agreed that claw hammers with the same general measurements could produce marks with a similar profile. The forensic testing also could not determine who had used any particular tool.

What Day 4 Established

Day 4 gave jurors a detailed look at just how extensively investigators searched the Flynn home and surrounding property and how closely they examined the alleged point of entry. The prosecution presented multiple investigators who questioned whether the condition of the garage door looked like a conventional forced entry. Jurors also heard about the large-scale effort to locate the missing firearm and other evidence, including searches of the attic, yard, woods and areas beneath sheds.

But the forensic evidence stopped short of identifying the Flynn household hammer—or any other seized tool—as the instrument used to damage the garage door. The FBI examiner’s final tool-mark conclusion remained inconclusive.

That leaves jurors with two different pieces of the evidentiary picture: investigators who believed the physical appearance of the door raised questions about the reported break-in, and forensic testing that could not determine which tool actually caused the damage.

Officer Will Roberts — Evidence Collection and Search for the Gun

Tip City Police Officer Will Roberts testified that on February 16 he met Caleb Flynn at the police department and collected buccal DNA swabs, fingerprints and palm prints, photographed Caleb’s hands and arms, and collected all of the clothing Caleb was wearing.

On cross-examination, Roberts confirmed that Caleb voluntarily submitted his DNA, fingerprints, palm prints and clothing. Roberts also testified that he was not asked to swab Caleb’s hands or clothing for gunshot residue or other chemicals.

Roberts later returned to the Flynn residence and used a flexible “snake” or pin camera to look inside HVAC vents and underneath a shed for the missing firearm. No gun was found.

Key point: Investigators obtained substantial identifying evidence from Caleb very early, but no gunshot-residue testing was performed by Roberts, and the later targeted search for the firearm was unsuccessful.

Jill Smith — Ashley Flynn’s Mother

Jill Smith described Ashley as her daughter and best friend and said they spoke every day. She testified that Ashley and Caleb’s marriage had seemed generally good, although she sensed some strain during roughly the last six months. Ashley did not complain about Caleb to her parents and, according to Jill, always wanted them to think well of him.

Jill described the close Smith/Flynn family relationship and testified about the family business and financial support provided to Ashley and Caleb. She also discussed her final contacts with Ashley during Valentine’s weekend.

Jill said the last time she saw Ashley alive was February 13, when the family went to lunch. She spoke with Ashley on February 14 and again on February 15, when Ashley was excited about having a Galentine’s celebration with her daughters.

Jill also recalled planning Ashley’s funeral with Caleb. When she told Caleb that “Stefan” had been asked to sing, Caleb quickly turned and asked, “Who’d you say?” Jill testified that his reaction struck her as odd, although she said she noticed nothing else unusual during that conversation.

There was no cross-examination.

Kayla Kite — Ashley’s Sister

Kayla Kite testified that she and Ashley were extremely close — best friends who spoke every day and saw one another several times a week. Kayla described Caleb as someone she had considered a brother before Ashley’s death.

A significant portion of her testimony concerned the family business and the financial benefits Ashley and Caleb received through it. On cross-examination, Kayla agreed there was a significant financial incentive for the family arrangement to continue and that Caleb benefited from the business and was expected to continue receiving those benefits.

Kayla also confirmed that at the time Ashley was killed, she had no idea Caleb was having an affair with Alleigha Botner. She agreed Caleb appeared emotionally affected by Ashley’s death.

The defense also questioned Kayla about how Ashley and Caleb’s daughters eventually learned about the affair. Kayla testified that the girls were devastated for their mother and shocked when they learned the identity of the woman involved.

Important for the defense: Kayla acknowledged Caleb appeared genuinely affected by Ashley’s death and that the financial arrangement gave him substantial benefits from remaining part of the family.

Matthew Kite — Ashley’s Brother-in-Law

Matthew Kite testified that he had known Caleb since college in 2008. The men had been friends before eventually marrying sisters, making them brothers-in-law.

His testimony further established just how intertwined Caleb was with Ashley’s family socially and financially. Matthew described a longstanding relationship rather than someone who had become isolated from Ashley’s relatives shortly before her death.

Todd Smith — Ashley’s Father

Todd Smith gave emotional testimony about his relationship with Ashley and Caleb. Like Jill, he said neither Ashley nor Caleb had presented their marriage to him as seriously troubled. Ashley never spoke badly about Caleb, while Caleb sometimes asked the family to pray that he could be a better husband and father.

Todd described extensive financial support and family benefits provided to Ashley and Caleb, including vacations and money intended for family activities. He said Caleb normally attended family vacations but had missed one in 2025, reportedly because he was sick.

Todd was in Quebec on a snowmobiling trip when Jill called around 3:00 a.m. and told him Ashley had been murdered. During his drive home, Todd testified that he began thinking through what he knew and became concerned that “this really doesn’t look good on Caleb.” He said he mentioned the thought to Jill, who told him not to go there, and he put it aside.

When Todd finally saw Caleb that evening, Caleb hugged him, cried and repeatedly said, “I am sorry. I am so sorry.” Todd testified that Caleb never told him what had happened to Ashley.

There was no cross-examination.

Captain Tony Smith — Financial Records and Investigation

Tip City Police Captain Tony Smith testified that he supervised much of the investigative effort and called in additional resources, including the FBI.

Smith explained how investigators identified Caleb and Ashley’s financial institutions through documents recovered from their home and through information Caleb himself provided. Investigators subsequently obtained bank records through grand jury subpoenas.

Smith also testified about tips received during the investigation. Asked how many were ultimately substantiated, he answered:

Zero.

Cross-examination produced one of the more interesting portions of the day. Smith confirmed that investigators collected property from Alleigha Botner’s office at CLC, including documents, a picture frame and a laptop.

But investigators learned that two other devices associated with Botner were unavailable. Smith testified that Botner reportedly lost a work laptop during a Florida trip and dropped her cell phone in water, both before Ashley’s murder. Police were unable to recover either device.

ATF Special Agent David McMullen — Extensive Search for the Missing Gun

ATF Special Agent David McMullen testified about one of the most extensive searches conducted for the murder weapon.

McMullen and his specially trained firearms/explosives detection K9, Hilton, searched the Flynn property and surrounding area. The search included the front, side and backyard; shed and play area; wooded areas; a walking path toward Kessler-Cowles Road; portions of the adjoining field; the garage; and the interior of the residence, including possible hiding places.

Hilton did not alert to a firearm or firearms-related evidence.

McMullen returned the following day and conducted another extensive search, including the wood line and nearly the entire farm field. Again, no alert and no firearm.

McMullen acknowledged that a deeply buried, wrapped or otherwise concealed firearm might not release enough odor for the dog to detect it.

Bottom line: They looked very hard around the Flynn property. The murder weapon was still never recovered.

BCI DNA Evidence

Day 3 then became extremely forensic-heavy, with several BCI scientists explaining different stages of the laboratory process.

Lindsay Koenig — Biological Evidence Processing

BCI forensic scientist Lindsay Koenig explained that her role was to examine submitted evidence for biological material and collect samples capable of producing DNA profiles.

Philip Irion — DNA Laboratory Processing

BCI forensic scientist Philip Irion testified that he processed known DNA standards through the laboratory so profiles could later be compared with the evidence. His role was one step in BCI’s “team approach,” rather than making the ultimate comparison conclusions himself.

Andrea Weisenberger — DNA Analysis and Conclusions

Andrea Weisenberger was the BCI scientist who interpreted the DNA results, made comparisons with known standards and prepared the final reports.

The DNA testing produced a mixed picture.

Caleb’s DNA was found on some items — including a doorknob — but much of the evidence either contained DNA belonging to members of the Flynn household or did not contain enough DNA for a meaningful comparison. For example, the cartridge-casing swabs produced insufficient DNA for comparison, and a door-jamb strike plate produced no DNA profile.

Other tested surfaces contained DNA consistent with Ashley or the children. Weisenberger ultimately testified that no identifiable DNA from someone outside the submitted known standards was found.

However, that does not mean every trace of DNA was identified. Some mixtures contained minor DNA data that was insufficient for comparison. During cross-examination, Weisenberger acknowledged that there was additional minor DNA on at least one sample that she could not attribute to anyone.

She also explained that gloves, water, sunlight and environmental exposure can affect whether usable DNA is recovered.

Basically: no identifiable foreign DNA profile was developed — not to be confused with a conclusion of “there was no unknown DNA.”

Jared Schultz — NIBIN Ballistics Database

BCI forensic technician Jared Schultz testified about entering the recovered cartridge casings into NIBIN, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.

The database produced no investigative leads linking the casings to another known crime or recovered firearm. Schultz explained that this could mean the firearm had not previously been recovered or had not been used in another crime whose evidence was entered into NIBIN.

There was no cross-examination.

Alex Miller — Firearms Examination

BCI firearms examiner Alex Miller testified about the bullets, bullet fragment and cartridge casings.

Her examination determined that the two cartridge casings had been fired from the same firearm. Later testing of bullets and a bullet-jacket fragment — including a bullet recovered from Ashley’s elbow and a fragment associated with a pillow — established that those projectiles were also fired from the same firearm.

But investigators never supplied Miller with the actual gun because the firearm was never recovered. Without it, Miller could not test-fire the suspected weapon and directly match it to the bullets and casings. 

She attempted to identify possible firearm makes and models from the rifling characteristics, but the characteristics were too common to identify a particular gun. The resulting database list was very large. Springfield firearms were among the possibilities, but a Springfield was not uniquely identified — it simply could not be excluded.

That qualification is important for the defense.

Vicky Bartholomew — Fingerprint Evidence

BCI latent-print examiner Vicky Bartholomew analyzed fingerprints and palm prints collected from the scene and vehicles. Several usable prints were identified as Caleb Flynn’s, including a fingerprint from the exterior garage driver’s door of the Ford F-150 and a palm print from the minivan. 

On cross-examination, however, Bartholomew testified that there is no scientific method for determining when a fingerprint was left on a surface. She also agreed that it is completely normal for someone’s fingerprints to be found on his own property and vehicles.

So those prints establish that Caleb touched those surfaces — not when he touched them. 

Kimberly Bingaman — Next-Door Neighbor and Surveillance Cameras

Kimberly Bingaman testified that she lived next door to Caleb and Ashley and had motion-activated surveillance cameras. She said her cameras recorded events when triggered by motion. For the night of February 15 into the early morning of February 16, she said the cameras captured nothing unusual — and apparently no activity at all. She later showed the footage to investigators.

On cross-examination, however, the defense established some limitations.

Bingaman could not say whether the camera visible on the Flynn property itself was functional. More importantly, she testified that, to her knowledge, police did not test her cameras to determine what size object or movement was necessary to trigger the motion detection.

That means the absence of recorded activity is evidence worth noting, but the testimony did not establish that the system necessarily would have captured every person or movement occurring outside.

What Day 3 Really Added to the Case

This was actually a pretty important day. The prosecution filled in a lot of its circumstantial case: Ashley was deeply connected to her family; Caleb benefited financially and socially from that family relationship; Ashley’s family had no idea about the affair; physical evidence from the scene was processed extensively; the bullets and casings were linked to one firearm; Caleb’s prints and DNA were present on property he regularly used; and the neighbor’s cameras showed no unusual activity.

But Day 3 also put several limitations squarely into the record:

• The murder weapon was never found, despite multiple intensive searches with a firearms-detection K9 and additional searches inside the home.
• Caleb voluntarily provided DNA, fingerprints, palm prints and clothing, but Officer Roberts was not directed to perform gunshot-residue testing.
• The ballistics evidence establishes a common firearm for the recovered ammunition evidence, but cannot identify the actual weapon because police never recovered it.
• The rifling characteristics could fit numerous firearms; Springfield was possible, not uniquely identified.
• No identifiable foreign DNA profile was developed, although some DNA data was too limited to identify.
• Caleb’s fingerprints on his family’s vehicles cannot be dated and are not inherently unusual.
• Botner had a work laptop and cell phone that investigators could not recover because both were reportedly lost/damaged before the homicide.
• None of the investigative tips Captain Smith discussed were substantiated.
• The neighbor’s cameras recorded no activity, but investigators apparently did not establish exactly what movement would trigger them.

Day 2 of testimony in the Caleb Flynn murder trial focused heavily on the physical evidence inside and outside the Flynn home, the condition of the alleged point of entry, Ashley Flynn’s autopsy, and the investigative steps taken after her death.

Special Agent David Hammond — Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation

Special Agent David Hammond of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) conducted an extensive examination of the Flynn residence at 932 Cunningham Court on February 16, 2026.

Hammond testified that he had approximately 18 years with BCI and extensive experience processing crime scenes, including hundreds of burglary scenes and more than 1,000 felony investigations. He arrived at the Flynn home at approximately 7:09 a.m. and was the senior BCI agent responsible for the crime-scene examination.

Investigators had initially been told that Caleb Flynn was sleeping on the couch because he was sick and coughing, heard a noise during the night, and encountered an intruder who had entered through the garage and shot Ashley Flynn. Hammond said investigators therefore examined the property both for evidence supporting that account and for other possible explanations.

Hammond walked the jury through dozens of photographs of the exterior, garage, master bedroom and other areas of the home.

Among the significant findings:

• The front door showed no signs of forced entry, and most windows were closed and locked. One bathroom window was unlocked but closed, with no apparent signs someone had entered through it.
• The rear door’s deadbolt was locked, and Hammond found no evidence of forced entry there.
• The north garage door — identified as the alleged intruder’s entry point — was damaged. The exterior handle had been broken off, and a damaged deadbolt receiver was found outside near a trash can.
• Hammond found the condition of that garage door unusual. He did not observe the exterior damage, pry marks, impressions or other evidence he typically sees when a door has been forcibly entered during a burglary.
• Investigators processed areas along the alleged intruder’s route for latent fingerprints, including the garage, vehicles, refrigerator, hallway and master bedroom.
• Fired cartridge casings, bullet evidence and suspected biological material were collected from the master bedroom.
• A pinkish-red substance found in the kitchen sink was tested but was negative for blood.
• A box fan in the children’s bedroom was running on high and producing substantial noise. Another fan was running in the master bedroom.
• Hammond testified that the lower bunk in the children’s room appeared heavily covered with stuffed animals and did not appear configured for two people to sleep there without items being removed.

Investigators collected numerous latent prints and other evidence for laboratory analysis. At the conclusion of his scene examination, Hammond testified that he had become concerned that Ashley Flynn’s death was a homicide that had been staged to look like a burglary.

Defense Cross-Examination

The defense emphasized the limitations of what Hammond could determine from the scene. Hammond acknowledged that investigators arrived after the shooting and had to reconstruct events from the physical evidence. He could not determine precisely when the damage to the garage door occurred or when that door had last been opened before Ashley’s death.

The defense also questioned whether the lock could have been picked and noted that investigators did not measure how much force would have been required to move objects near the garage entry.

Hammond acknowledged that the reddish substance in the kitchen sink tested negative for blood and that investigators found no evidence suggesting the master bedroom had been cleaned with cleaning products.

The defense also challenged aspects of the fingerprint investigation and the extent to which every possible route through the home had been processed.

Hammond nevertheless maintained that the entire residence had been photographed, scanned and examined for potential evidence.

Holly Ryczek — BCI Crime Scene Technician

Holly Ryczek, a crime scene technician with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testified about her work assisting Hammond at the Flynn residence.

Ryczek has a bachelor’s degree in forensic and investigative science and testified that she had received more than 500 hours of continuing education in crime-scene disciplines, including shooting reconstruction and bloodstain-pattern analysis.

Her testimony largely supplemented Hammond’s description of the scene and focused particularly on the damaged garage entry door. 

Ryczek testified that the condition of the door did not appear consistent with the forced-entry doors she had previously examined. She explained that forced entry commonly leaves damage on the outside surface of a door, doorframe or locking area from kicking, prying or the use of a tool. 

In this case, she said the damage she observed was on the interior side of the door rather than the exterior. She did not observe the exterior markings she would ordinarily associate with someone forcing their way into the residence.

The defense did not cross-examine Ryczek.

Dr. Bryan Casto — Forensic Pathologist

Dr. Bryan Casto, a deputy coroner and forensic pathologist with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, performed Ashley Flynn’s autopsy on February 17, 2026.

Casto was qualified by the court as an expert in forensic pathology. He testified about Ashley’s injuries while the prosecution introduced autopsy photographs and physical evidence recovered during the examination.

Casto described multiple gunshot wounds to Ashley Flynn’s head. The entrance wounds were extremely close together and actually overlapped.

His autopsy report classified the shooting distance as indeterminate, meaning the physical findings did not allow him to establish a precise muzzle-to-victim distance.

Casto ultimately determined Ashley Flynn’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

During cross-examination, the defense focused particularly on the shooting distance. Casto confirmed that although the overlapping wounds could provide information about the relationship of the shots to one another, the autopsy itself did not establish a specific firing distance.

Detective Adam Bernard — Tip City Police Department

Detective Adam Bernard testified about his role in the investigation after Ashley Flynn’s death. Bernard had been with Tip City Police for approximately eight years and had recently moved from patrol into the detective division. He responded to 932 Cunningham Court at approximately 3:45 a.m. on February 16.

His testimony shifted the trial from physical crime-scene evidence into the broader homicide investigation. Bernard discussed investigative assignments and the handling and organization of information received during the case, including tips submitted to law enforcement.

On cross-examination, the defense questioned how those tips were handled and followed up. Bernard explained that his responsibility was largely to collect, print and organize the tips so they could be reviewed, while the FBI had been assigned responsibility for investigating them.

The defense pressed Bernard on whether he personally knew the results of particular tips. Bernard said that because investigators had different assignments, follow-up information would generally have been reported to supervisors or investigators responsible for that portion of the case rather than necessarily coming back to him.

Officer Luke Vellman — Tip City Police Department

Officer Luke Vellman testified about the extensive use of search warrants during the Flynn investigation. Vellman, who previously served a rotation as a general-assignment detective, initially assisted with scene security. He was subsequently tasked with preparing search-warrant affidavits and assisting with subpoenas. He estimated that he prepared approximately 34 search warrants and assisted with roughly eight subpoenas. 

Among them were warrants seeking records connected to:

• Alleigha Botner’s Venmo account;
• an Amazon/Blink camera account associated with Caleb Flynn; and
• a Google/Gmail account associated with Caleb Flynn.

Vellman explained how the warrants were approved by a judge and submitted to the respective companies. In some instances, the FBI assisted with submission because Tip City Police Department’s email system was not accepted by certain service providers.

The State introduced the warrants and related business-record certifications into evidence. 

During cross-examination, the defense established that the investigation was not limited to Caleb Flynn’s electronic records. Warrants and requests also sought information belonging to Ashley Flynn and Alleigha Botner.

Vellman testified that investigators sought information from Botner’s social-media accounts, including Facebook and Instagram, as well as Venmo. He also recalled assisting with service of warrants involving approximately three of Botner’s cell phones.

Day 2 Takeaway

Day 2 gave the jury its first detailed look at why investigators began questioning the reported home-invasion scenario. The most significant testimony came from the BCI crime-scene investigators, who described a house with few apparent signs of unauthorized entry and a garage door that was damaged in a way they considered inconsistent with the forced-entry scenes they had previously examined.

At the same time, the defense used cross-examination to emphasize what investigators could not establish from the physical evidence — including when the garage-door damage occurred, precisely how the door had been opened, and whether every possible scenario could be excluded. 

The testimony then moved from the physical scene to Ashley Flynn’s autopsy and finally to the increasingly broad investigation of electronic records, social media, financial accounts and devices belonging not only to Caleb Flynn, but to other people connected to the case.

Day 1: First Responders and the Initial Investigation

Following opening statements, the State began its case with seven witnesses focused largely on the first hours of the investigation into Ashley Flynn’s death. Jurors heard Caleb Flynn’s 911 call, testimony from the first officers and paramedic to enter the home, evidence concerning the initial search for a possible intruder, and testimony about the FBI’s neighborhood canvass.

Witness 1: Beth Hall — Miami County Communication Center

Beth Hall, director and records custodian for the Miami County Communication Center, authenticated the 911 call placed from Caleb Flynn’s phone at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 16, 2026. Hall explained that 911 calls are automatically recorded beginning when the phone starts ringing and are maintained on secure county servers. She personally retrieved the call and provided it to Tipp City Police that morning.

The recording was played for the jury.

During the call, a highly emotional Caleb told the dispatcher that someone had broken into his home and that his wife had been shot in the head. He repeatedly pleaded for police to hurry and told the dispatcher that the door leading to the garage had been wide open. Caleb said his daughters were asleep in their room and Ashley was in the couple’s bedroom. At the dispatcher’s direction, he checked Ashley for signs of life and placed a towel over the wound without applying pressure. He later checked the girls and reported that they appeared unharmed and were still sleeping.

Police arrived while Caleb remained on the phone with the dispatcher. The 911 recording was admitted as State’s Exhibit 1 without objection. The defense did not cross-examine Hall.

TRANSCRIPT FILE: Caleb Flynn 911 Call Transcript from February 16, 2026

Witness 2: Sgt. Corey Rissmiller — Tipp City Police Department

Sgt. Corey Rissmiller was the first officer to arrive at 932 Cunningham Court, reaching the home at approximately 2:36 a.m.

Rissmiller testified that Caleb was outside waving him down and appeared panicked and extremely upset. Caleb told him his wife had been shot and said no one else was inside the home other than his daughters. Rissmiller conducted a quick safety check before entering the master bedroom. Caleb told him Ashley had been shot twice and warned him that shell casings were on the floor. 

Inside the bedroom, Rissmiller observed two spent shell casings and Ashley lying on her left side in bed with a towel covering her head. He removed the towel and saw significant trauma to the back of her head. He testified that, based on his experience, he believed she was already deceased. Rissmiller also noted that the opposite side of the bed did not appear to have been slept in and that blankets and pillows were on the floor near the dresser. He described Ashley as appearing to have been asleep when she was shot.

Other officers arrived within seconds. Rissmiller directed them to conduct a more thorough clearing of the house and garage while he began securing the scene. EMS was initially staged until officers determined there was no immediate threat inside. Rissmiller treated the incident at that point as a reported burglary/home invasion. He requested K9 assistance and a drone search in an effort to determine whether someone had entered or fled the property.

A significant issue emerged during cross-examination: Rissmiller had not activated his body camera when he first arrived. As a result, Caleb’s earliest statements to him, Rissmiller’s initial entry into the home and bedroom, the original condition of the scene as he first observed it, and his initial observations of the shell casings were not captured on body-camera video.

Witness 3: Officer Alexandra Giampapa — Tipp City Police Department

FILE: Bodycam Video Footage Transcript.

Officer Alexandra Giampapa arrived only seconds after Rissmiller, along with another Tipp City officer. Giampapa testified that the call had initially been dispatched as a burglary in progress, followed by information that a woman had been shot in the head and that a garage door was open. 

When she entered the home, she saw Caleb near the dining room table as Rissmiller came from the bedroom and reported that Ashley was deceased. Giampapa and the other officer then cleared the garage. She testified that the side access door was open and that a refrigerator appeared to have been pushed out of the way near the doorway. They also noticed that the center console of a pickup truck in the garage was open. 

When Giampapa asked Caleb whether there were firearms in the house, he told her there was a shotgun, a .22 and a pellet gun, and that he had a handgun in the glove compartment of his truck. 

The officers then checked on Caleb and Ashley’s two daughters. Giampapa testified that the girls’ bedroom door was closed, the lights were off and a fan or other source of white noise was running. Both girls appeared to still be asleep and breathing. 

Giampapa remained with Caleb for much of the early response. She heard him call both his mother and Ashley’s mother, Jill, and later heard him describe what happened to Detective Morgan.

According to Giampapa, Caleb’s accounts were relatively consistent: he said he and the girls had been sick, that he had gone into his daughters’ room, fallen asleep there and later awakened after hearing the dogs and then a gunshot. He said he froze before eventually getting up and discovering the door to the garage open and Ashley shot in the bedroom. 

Giampapa described Caleb as highly emotional. At one point he appeared to gag or vomit into a trash can, and later said he could not breathe. EMS evaluated him in an ambulance. 

On cross-examination, Giampapa agreed that Caleb’s descriptions of what happened to his mother, Ashley’s mother and Detective Morgan were relatively consistent and that she did not recall any “jarring” differences among them.

Her body-camera footage was admitted as State’s Exhibit 2.

Witness 4: Alex Huels — Tipp City Firefighter/Paramedic

Firefighter-paramedic Alex Huels responded at approximately 2:30 a.m. after receiving a dispatch reporting a woman who had been shot in the head, was not breathing and appeared pale. Huels entered the home with a Tipp City police officer and went to the master bedroom. He saw Ashley lying on her left side in what he described as a sleeping position. He was warned about a shell casing on the floor and carefully moved around it.

Huels removed the towel from Ashley’s head and observed a penetrating injury to the right side of her head. She was not breathing and showed no movement. He checked for a carotid pulse and found none.

Based on her injuries and lack of signs of life, Huels determined that she met the criteria under EMS protocols for non-initiation of resuscitation. His assessment ended at approximately 2:42 a.m. Huels clarified that paramedics do not formally establish the biological time of death. 

On cross-examination, however, he testified that he did not believe Ashley had been dead for hours. He based that opinion in part on the relatively uniform paleness of her skin and the absence of the type of mottling that can develop as more time passes after death. After leaving the bedroom, Huels told Caleb that Ashley was dead. He described Caleb as visibly upset.

Witness 5: Officer Hunter Bradbury — Troy Police Department Drone Operator  

Troy Police Officer Hunter Bradbury was called to assist Tipp City Police with a drone at approximately 3:40 a.m. Bradbury, an FAA-certified drone operator, arrived with a DJI Mavic 3T equipped with thermal-imaging capabilities. He launched the drone at approximately 3:56 a.m. 

He first flew a circular pattern around the Flynn residence and then conducted a grid search that extended to some adjoining properties. The drone remained in the air for approximately an hour. 

Bradbury testified that he did not locate any unusual human heat signatures. The only moving heat signatures he observed were animals. Four thermal aerial photographs showing different sides of the Flynn residence were introduced and admitted as State’s Exhibits 3 through 6.

Cross-examination focused heavily on the limitations of the search. The defense emphasized that the drone was not deployed until roughly an hour and twenty minutes after the first officer arrived — and even longer after the shooting itself would have occurred.

Bradbury could not say how far a person could have traveled during that period or whether the area searched was large enough to encompass the distance someone could have walked or run. He also testified that the drone could not have followed a vehicle that had already driven away.

Witness 6: Deputy David Laycox — Preble County Sheriff’s Office/K9 Handler

Deputy David Laycox responded with his tracking bloodhound, K9 Hayes, after Tipp City requested assistance locating a possible fleeing suspect. Laycox was told that a suspected intruder had entered and left through the west-side garage door. When he arrived, the area was still dark, the grass was wet with dew and conditions were favorable for scent tracking.

Laycox began Hayes at the concrete pad and door jamb near the west garage door. Instead of tracking away from the residence, Hayes repeatedly pulled toward the open door and attempted to enter the house. Laycox then conducted perimeter searches around the property. Hayes did not establish a track leading away from the residence and repeatedly returned to the garage-side door, which Laycox described as the location of the strongest scent.

Laycox characterized the result as a negative indication for a suspect fleeing from the areas he searched. 

The defense, however, established important limitations. Hayes is not 100 percent successful on every track, and Laycox could not provide the dog’s success percentage. The search was also based on information given to Laycox that the suspected intruder had used the west-side garage door. 

Laycox did not search the front of the property because it had already been contaminated by police activity, and he did not conduct a scent search from the front garage doors. When the defense suggested that the negative K9 result meant no one had left the house, Laycox pushed back, making clear that his conclusion applied only to the areas he actually searched.

Witness 7: FBI Special Agent Michael Tom — Neighborhood Canvass

The final witness of the day was FBI Special Agent Michael Tom of the Dayton Resident Agency. Tom testified that Tipp City requested FBI assistance following Ashley Flynn’s death. More than a dozen agents ultimately assisted in various aspects of the investigation, with nine agents involved in the neighborhood canvass led by Tom.

Agents went door-to-door through the surrounding neighborhood, speaking with residents and looking particularly for home-security and doorbell-camera footage that might show vehicles or people entering or leaving the area around the time of the shooting. The canvass covered more than 80 homes.

When agents could not reach residents during the initial canvass, they returned later in an effort to make contact. Information and potential video evidence were coordinated with Tipp City investigators for additional follow-up.

The defense did not cross-examine Agent Tom.

Day 1 Takeaway

The State’s first witnesses established the immediate timeline following Caleb Flynn’s 911 call and documented the earliest efforts to locate a possible intruder. Police initially responded to the scene as a reported burglary or home invasion and deployed multiple resources to investigate that possibility: officers cleared the residence, a drone equipped with thermal imaging searched the area, a trained bloodhound attempted to establish a track, and FBI agents later canvassed more than 80 surrounding homes. Neither the drone nor K9 search identified a person fleeing the property.

At the same time, cross-examination highlighted limitations in those findings. The first officer’s initial encounter with Caleb and his first entry into the bedroom were not recorded on body camera; the drone was not launched until well after the shooting would have occurred; and the K9 search did not cover every possible exit route from the property. 

The testimony also established that Caleb appeared highly emotional throughout the initial response and, according to Officer Giampapa, gave relatively consistent accounts of the events to family members and investigators during those first hours.

Before testimony began on Day 1, the jury was taken to the Flynn home to view the property and surrounding area. The prosecution and defense had agreed on specific locations for jurors to observe, which were identified on a map admitted as Defense Exhibit A.

The judge instructed jurors that what they observed during the visit was not evidence, noting that conditions at the property may have changed since Ashley Flynn’s death. Instead, the purpose of the approximately hour-long visit was to help jurors better understand the evidence and testimony that would later be presented in court.

Attorneys for both sides accompanied the jury during the viewing but were prohibited from discussing the case or demonstrating anything at the property. Caleb Flynn did not attend the jury view, having previously waived his right to be present.

Following the visit, the jury returned to the courthouse and the prosecution began presenting its case with its first witness.

Defense Opening Statement: “A Tragedy Deserves More Than a Theory”

The defense began its opening statement with a verse from Proverbs: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”

That became the theme of the defense case. Defense attorney Emily Smith acknowledged both the devastating loss of Ashley Flynn and Caleb Flynn’s affair, lies and betrayal of his wife. But she told jurors that being an unfaithful husband does not make Flynn a murderer.

“A man can fail as a husband without being a murderer,” she told the jury. The defense argued that investigators discovered Flynn’s affair, decided they had found a motive for murder and then worked backward — interpreting the evidence through the assumption that Flynn must have killed Ashley.

The Affair Is Not Murder

The defense did not attempt to excuse Flynn’s conduct. Jurors will see messages between Flynn and his mistress in which he said “ugly, hurtful, selfish things” about Ashley, Smith acknowledged. But she argued that Flynn sometimes made those statements to appease his mistress and that jurors will also see warm and loving communications between Flynn and Ashley. 

The defense said Flynn lied to both women — telling his mistress what she wanted to hear while concealing the affair from Ashley and her family. “Caleb betrayed Ashley as a husband,” Smith told jurors. But, she stressed, Flynn is not on trial for adultery, lying or being a bad husband. He is on trial for aggravated murder and other criminal charges.

The defense warned jurors that the prosecution’s presentation of the affair, messages and lies could create anger and disgust toward Flynn and argued that those emotions cannot substitute for proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Did Investigators Decide First and Investigate Second?

The defense directly attacked the investigation, describing it as plagued by errors, bias and a rush to judgment. According to Smith, once investigators discovered the affair, Flynn became the “most convenient scapegoat.” The defense contends investigators reached their conclusion first and then attempted to fit the evidence into that conclusion.

The defense also challenged the prosecution’s presentation of only two possible explanations — Flynn’s account of an intruder versus the State’s theory that Flynn killed Ashley and staged the scene. Smith told jurors there were other possibilities that were not thoroughly investigated.

“Where Is the Evidence?”

The defense then focused on what it says is missing from the State’s case. According to the defense:

The murder weapon has not been recovered.
The State cannot show that Flynn possessed the gun that killed Ashley that night.
There is no eyewitness identifying Flynn as the shooter.
There is no surveillance footage showing Flynn committing the crime.
No gunshot residue was found on Flynn or his clothing.
The coroner did not establish a time of death.
The defense says there is no forensic evidence directly linking Flynn to the killing.
The State cannot establish when the damage to the garage door occurred or that Flynn caused it.
The fingerprints investigators found belonging to Flynn were inside his own home, where he had lived since 2021.

The defense also attacked the firearm-tampering charge, arguing that prosecutors are asking jurors to infer Flynn tampered with the gun largely because investigators could not find it. Smith repeatedly returned to one question she wants jurors asking throughout the trial: Where is the evidence?

More Than Two Possibilities

The defense disputed the prosecution’s contention that the evidence leaves jurors with two competing explanations. According to Smith, investigators failed to thoroughly explore other possibilities because their attention became fixed on Flynn once they learned about his affair. 

The defense argued that the prosecution is asking jurors to move from motive to murder: Flynn wanted out of his marriage, he had a mistress, he said terrible things about Ashley and therefore he must have killed her. But motive, Smith reminded jurors, is not itself an element of the crimes Flynn is charged with committing.

The defense’s position is that the State may be able to prove Flynn lied, cheated and behaved badly, but that is fundamentally different from proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he murdered Ashley.

“The State Gets to Accuse. You Get to Decide.”

Smith ended by urging jurors to pay attention not only to the circumstantial evidence prosecutors present, but also to what they cannot show them. She argued that Flynn’s conduct may make him easy to dislike and that jurors may become angry with him as they hear the evidence. But neither anger nor a desire to find someone responsible for Ashley’s death can satisfy the State’s burden of proof.

“The State gets to accuse. You get to decide.”

The defense told jurors that Ashley deserves justice — but argued that justice requires an investigation willing to follow the evidence wherever it leads, rather than toward “wherever the story is easiest to tell.” Its central message to the jury was simple:

A tragedy deserves more than a theory.

Prosecution Opening Statement: “People Lie. Evidence Doesn’t.”

The prosecution opened its case against Caleb Flynn with some of the most damaging words jurors are likely to hear during the trial — words prosecutors say came directly from Flynn himself. In messages allegedly sent to his mistress months before his wife Ashley Flynn was killed, Flynn wrote:

“I was up until 4:00 a.m. last night crying. Literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.”

In another message, he allegedly wrote:

“If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat. That is how dark and how hateful I feel.”

The State told jurors those messages establish the central themes of its case: motive, intent, and what prosecutors contend is the truth behind Flynn’s claim that an unknown intruder entered the family home and murdered his wife.

Ashley Flynn was shot twice in the back of the head while lying in bed during the early morning hours of February 16, 2026. Prosecutors described her as being in a sleeping position and argued that the circumstances were inconsistent with someone who had encountered an intruder.

Two Competing Explanations

The prosecution asked jurors to consider two competing explanations throughout the trial. 

The first is Flynn’s reported account: an unidentified intruder approached the residence, entered the home, made his way to the primary bedroom, shot Ashley and escaped without being seen or identified.

The second is the State’s theory, which prosecutors said was reconstructed through physical, digital and electronic evidence.

According to the prosecution, investigators found no independent evidence documenting an unknown person approaching the house, entering it, moving through the residence, accessing the murder weapon or leaving the property.

Prosecutors acknowledged that there is no eyewitness to Ashley’s killing and that the murder weapon has not been recovered. However, they told jurors that Flynn kept a 9mm handgun in the console of his truck, which was parked in the garage. When officers arrived, according to the State, the console was open and the gun was gone. Ashley was killed with two 9mm bullets.

“People Lie. Evidence Doesn’t.”

A major part of the State’s case will center on Flynn’s electronic devices and communications. Prosecutors said the evidence will document Flynn’s years-long affair, his efforts to delete information — including activity only hours before Ashley’s death — and communications discussing the end of his marriage and major changes he said were coming in his life.

The prosecution also told jurors that Flynn claimed he had been asleep during critical portions of the night. His devices, prosecutors contend, tell a different story.

Jurors are expected to hear evidence involving Flynn’s Apple Watch movement, AirPods and iPhone activity, app deletions, Face ID activity before the 911 call and electronic records associated with the call itself.

“People lie. Evidence doesn’t,” the prosecutor told the jury, arguing that the individual pieces of digital evidence connect with one another and ultimately converge on Flynn.

The Garage Door

The prosecution also previewed what appears likely to become another important issue at trial: a side garage door that Flynn allegedly claimed had been forced open by an intruder. Jurors were told they will hear from an FBI toolmark examiner regarding damage around the deadbolt area. Prosecutors said law enforcement witnesses will testify that the damage was inconsistent with the door having been kicked or pried open and that multiple tools caused the marks.

The State added one particularly significant detail: the door was unlocked.

More Than 100,000 Messages

The prosecution told jurors that the messages about killing Ashley were only two among more than 100,000 messages exchanged between Flynn and his mistress during the year before Ashley’s death. According to the State, those communications repeatedly showed Flynn expressing hatred toward Ashley, wanting her gone or dead, wanting freedom from the marriage and envisioning a future with his mistress.

Prosecutors highlighted several messages allegedly sent during the late hours of February 15 — just hours before Ashley was killed:

“I choose you. I’m free.”

“Actions will come tomorrow.”

“February 16th, day I’ll never forget.”

The prosecution argued that if Flynn could kill Ashley and successfully make her death appear to be the work of an intruder, he could portray himself as another victim while keeping the life he wanted: his relationship with his mistress, his daughters, financial benefits, his lucrative employment with Ashley’s family business and his position as a worship leader.

The State ended its opening by telling jurors that its case will not depend upon a single piece of evidence. Instead, prosecutors say Flynn’s own communications, device activity, forensic evidence, the physical scene and his actions before and after Ashley’s death will converge.

The prosecution’s position was unequivocal: the evidence, it says, will not show that an unknown stranger entered the Flynn home and disappeared into the night. It will show, prosecutors told the jury, that Ashley Flynn was killed by her husband.