Former worship leader, American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn found guilty of wife’s murder 

Caleb Flynn, a former American Idol contestant and Ohio worship leader, has been convicted of murdering his wife in a trial that included extensive testimony from his ex-mistress.

Flynn, 40, shot his wife of 15 years, Ashley Flynn, 37, twice in the head in the early morning hours of Feb. 16 while their two daughters were asleep in the next room. He staged the scene to look like someone had broken into the house but was arrested just a few days later as a suspect.

The investigation revealed Flynn had been having an affair with Alleigha Botner, 24, whom he led worship with at Christian Life Center (CLC) in Dayton, Ohio, for almost two years at the time of Ashley Flynn’s murder.

Botner was an intern at CLC when she and Flynn – who served as a contracted volunteer worship leader – first met in summer 2022, and their relationship remained professional until March 2024. The affair became sexual two months after that.

The church’s pastor, Jordan Hansen, who has been the lead pastor since 2024, testified in Flynn’s trial Friday. He said he wasn’t aware of the relationship between Botner and Flynn, which is prohibited by church policy, and said he knew Ashley Flynn, who belonged to a multigenerational CLC family.

Botner also testified in the case last week and said she could never morally justify the affair.

“It was completely wrong, I shouldn’t have,” she said regarding the relationship. “It just started with little things and then it grew like cancer, and I found myself in a place I never thought I would be.

“I never morally justified it. I just did it even while I knew it was wrong.”

Botner also revealed she and Flynn wouldn’t refer to his wife by her name in their text messages but would rather use hateful names such as “douchebag” or “spawn of Satan.” Flynn would express that he hated his wife at least once a week, Botner said.

“If I could literally kill her and not go to hell I would do it in a heartbeat,” Flynn wrote in a text message to Botner, which was read aloud in court. “That’s how dark and hateful I feel.”

The conviction

Botner said she gave Flynn multiple deadlines to end his marriage with Ashley Flynn so she and he could be together, but after he repeatedly failed to do so, she ended their relationship in December 2025.

Flynn and Botner still had some communication leading up to Ashley Flynn’s death, and Botner said she had told Flynn she didn’t want to be with him anymore Feb. 14, two days before the murder.

“I choose you,” Flynn texted Botner hours before he killed his wife. “I’m free. Actions will come tomorrow.”

After about two hours of deliberation, the jury found Flynn guilty Tuesday of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and three counts of tampering with evidence. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 5.

Ashley Flynn’s mother also testified in the case and shared that one of Ashley and Caleb Flynn’s daughters had an astounding response to learning her mother had been murdered:

“I don’t know how and I don’t know why, but I know God’s got a plan and he’s going to work this for good,” the young girl said.

Flynn appeared on American Idol in 2013 and was given a “golden ticket” to Hollywood, BBC reported, but didn’t reach the main competition. He said wife urged him to apply.

(Photo credit: Screenshot/YouTube/CourtTV)