An Ohio former pastor will never walk free again after killing his wife to be with his mistress.
Miami County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeannine Pratt handed Caleb Flynn a life term in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of his 37-year-old wife, Ashley Flynn. After over two hours of deliberation, Flynn was found guilty and convicted by a jury of aggravated murder and several other charges, including felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
"The evidence showed that being the victim would allow the defendant to keep his lucrative job working for Ashley's family business, he would benefit from Ashley's life insurance, and he could keep his position as a working worship leader with zero impact to his reputation within the church. The evidence does not tell the story of an intruder," said Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph during the closing arguments, according to ABC News.
Around 2:30 am on February 16, police officers responded to the couple’s home after they received a 911 call from the defendant, who reported a burglary. Upon arrival, officers found Flynn and his two daughters unharmed, and Ashley Flynn’s body with gunshot wounds to the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy report showed the victim was shot twice in the back of her head while she slept.
During the investigation, authorities discovered the scene had been staged after they found the garage door left open, the center console in Flynn’s truck where he kept his gun was open, and there was a refrigerator blocking the entrance door to the house, which would have made it challenging for a burglar to gain entrance to the home.
More importantly, investigations found text messages between the defendant and his mistress, Alleigha Botner, then 20 years old, whom he met when she worked as an intern at the church. During the trial, Botner testified they had an affair, and the defendant hated his wife and intended to kill her. Prosecutors submitted 100,000 text messages Flynn sent to Botner, which included one a day prior to the murder of his wife.
“I choose you. I’m free. Actions will come tomorrow,” Flynn wrote, reported True Crime News.
Flynn’s defense lawyer, Patrick Mulligan, argued the state convicted his client based on circumstantial evidence, since the murder weapon was never found. He claimed his client was only guilty of adultery.
Pratt sentenced Flynn to an additional 9 years in prison for tampering with evidence and 7 years in prison for firearm enhancements. The defendant will serve his sentences consecutively.
Flynn was a contestant on the 12th season of American Idol in 2013 when he auditioned before judges Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, and Nicki Minaj.
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