Mistress texted 'I want to kill her' before American Idol singer's wife was shot dead in her bed

From the Newshound archive · first published 24 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.

Alleigha Botner, 24, returned to the stand for a second straight day in the Ohio murder trial of former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn, 40, reading out messages spanning several months in which Flynn allegedly wrote that he lay awake until 4am "literally thinking of ways to kill" his wife and "not go to jail." Prosecutors contend that Flynn shot Ashley Flynn, 37., twice in the back of the head while she slept in their Tipp City home in February, then staged the scene to make it look as though a burglar had broken in. Flynn has pleaded not guilty, claiming an intruder killed Ashley while he slept nearby with their two daughters.

Botner broke down in tears as she read her own message aloud in court: 'I want to kill her, Caleb' — Flynn allegedly responded, 'That makes two of us.'

Flynn allegedly told Botner: 'If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat.'

Flynn's ears flushed red and he began to sweat visibly as the court heard AI-generated versions of love songs he had composed for his mistress.