The mistress of a former American Idol contestant accused of killing his wife made disturbing online searches about unsolved murders just days after the alleged homicide.
Caleb Flynn, 40, is facing trial over the alleged murder of his wife, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn, who was found dead inside their Tipp City, Ohio, home on February 16.
Prosecutors allege that Flynn shot Ashley after carrying on a years-long affair with 24-year-old Alleigha Botner, then staged the home to make it appear that a burglar had entered.
Flynn has pleaded not guilty and maintains that an intruder killed his wife while he slept only feet away in another room with the couple’s two pre-teen daughters.
During cross-examination on Thursday, Botner acknowledged conducting several online searches, including: “Stories of wife being murdered and no suspect found.”
On February 19, she searched for “homicides in America that still remain unsolved” and “more recent homicides in America that still remain unsolved.”
She also told the court that she searched for both her own name and Ashley’s name.
Earlier that day, Botner broke down while reading the “hateful” text messages she and Flynn exchanged about wanting Ashley dead.
Caleb Flynn’s 24-year-old mistress, Alleigha Botner, sobbed as she read aloud the messages she and Flynn exchanged about wanting his wife dead
The former American Idol contestant remained stoic in court as Botner read their messages aloud on Thursday
“Do you know how badly I want to say, ‘F it,’ to any rules and any barriers and just love you with my entire heart for the rest of my life,” Botner wrote to Flynn on July 10, 2025.
Botner began crying and told the court: “I just wish I didn’t say this. I didn’t mean it.”
She then continued reading the message: “I want to kill her, Caleb. It’s so bad.”
Flynn replied: “That makes two of us.”
The accused killer and former American Idol contestant sat silently in the courtroom as Botner read the exchanges aloud.
“Please hire someone to take douche out. I need you,” Flynn wrote to Botner on June 12, 2025, using the vulgar nickname the pair had given his wife.
Botner responded: “So tempting.”
On Wednesday, Botner testified that she and Flynn called Ashley “douchebag” and used other derogatory nicknames for her.
Flynn, 40, is accused of killing his 37-year-old wife, Ashley Flynn, inside their Tipp City, Ohio, home on February 16
Botner testified that she was 20 when she met Flynn at the Christian Life Center in Dayton, Ohio, in 2022; she was working as an intern while he, then 36 or 37, volunteered there
In another text exchange from July 3, 2025, Flynn wrote: ‘I hate douche. I sure as heck ain’t hanging with her. I hate my life, and I hate her.’
Botner replied: ‘This is why, baby, we need to find a way. I want to show you what a real marriage can be.’
The next day, on July 4, Botner wrote: ‘Douche needs to go.’
‘I would literally have a smile on my face the whole time. Please take her out,’ Flynn responded.
Flynn wrote a message to his mistress on August 22, 2025, saying that he was up all night thinking of ways to kill his wife, the court heard.
‘All I want is you. I’m sorry I’ve hurt you. I was up until 4am last night crying, literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail,’ Flynn wrote.
‘Even though you have said if she was gone, you wouldn’t want me.’
He continued: ‘I’m sorry, Alleigha, for this all. Gosh, I’m sorry. I hate every second of this life I have to live.’
Botner admitted that she made several shocking internet searches after he allegedly murdered his wife
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to the charges and insists that a home intruder killed his wife while he slept in a room just feet away with the pair’s two pre-teen daughters
That same day, Botner texted: ‘I’m not asking that you take her life, obviously, because that’s not what you should do, and I know you actually wouldn’t. But to make the divorce happen, it would change everything.’
Flynn replied: ‘Don’t give me another thought. I’ll work on getting rid of her. Until then, I love you.’
On Wednesday, Botner revealed she was 20 when she met Flynn at Christian Life Center in Dayton, Ohio, in 2022, while she worked as an intern and he was either 36 or 37 and volunteered.
She then claimed that her relationship with Flynn became romantic after she went through a breakup in early 2024 and he began to show interest in her.
Botner testified that Flynn told her that he hated his wife, and she gave him several ultimatums and deadlines to leave her.
The pair communicated until midnight on the night of the alleged murder, and she testified that she sent him several screenshots of her research on divorce proceedings that included information about custody issues, deleting messages and how Flynn’s wife could prove he cheated.
The last thing Flynn told her was: ‘Good night, tomorrow’s a big day. I’ve got to get to bed. I choose you, I’m about to be free.’
Botner told the jury that prior to seeing Flynn in the courtroom on Wednesday, the last time she saw him was at Ashley’s parents’ house on February 16, hours after she was killed.
‘The first thing he said to me was, “It didn’t happen the way we thought it would, did it?”‘ Botner testified.