Ex-'American Idol' contestant Caleb Flynn's mistress testifies in murder trial: what we know

Caleb Flynn's mistress, whom prosecutors allege played a key role in motivating him to kill his wife, testified at his murder trial on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

Alleigha Botner, 24, took the stand in Caleb Flynn's murder trial and testified for two long hours, saying he texted her how much he hated his wife and that he wanted her “dead and gone".

Botner met former pastor and American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn at the church they both attended. Their affair lasted about 18 months and ended in December 2025.

Botner, who was the 34th witness on the list, told the court about their nearly two-year affair, from meeting at church to Flynee’s purported hatred of his wife and dozens of text messages from their conversations in the months preceding Ashley’s murder.

“At first, it was, ‘I want her dead’ and ‘I wish she was gone,’ and then it was, ‘If I could kill her and not go to jail, I would,’” Botner testified on Wednesday's hearing.

“One night he was up really late thinking about—he told me he was thinking about ways to kill her," Botner added.

Botner’s also made a chilling revelation that after she insisted Flynn divorce her wife, he finally promised to leave his wife on February 16, the day Ashley was murdered.

“It seemed like too much of a coincidence that the day he’s divorcing her, she’s just dead all of a sudden,” Botner said.

Ashley, 37, was shot in the head in her Tipp City home in the early hours of February 16, 2026.

Her husband, Caleb Flynn, a former American Idol contestant, is facing trial in the murder of his late wife.

Botner is expected to continue testifying Thursday morning.