Hidden True Crime - The “American Idol Murder” Trial: The FULL Backstory & Bombshell First Week | Caleb Flynn

Episode Date: September 27, 2026

The murder trial of Caleb Flynn is underway in Ohio, seven months after his wife, Ashley Flynn, was found shot to death in their home while their two young daughters slept nearby. In this episode of Hidden True Crime, Lauren Matthias breaks down the full Caleb Flynn and Ashley Flynn backstory and the first explosive week of testimony, including Caleb’s past appearance on *American Idol*, his secret affair with worship leader Aleigha Botner, more than 100,000 private messages, disturbing texts about wanting his wife “gone,” digital evidence from the night of Ashley’s murder, the missing 9mm handgun, and the prosecution’s claim that the alleged home invasion was staged. We also examine the defense case, the evidence investigators have—and what they don’t—as Caleb Flynn maintains his innocence and stands trial for his wife’s murder. Sponsor: Honeylove- Save 20% off Honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/HIDDEN! #honeylovepod #ad About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Somebody broke into my home. Somebody broke in my home with my life. It was February 2026 when Caleb Flynn made that 911 call. He was in a panic.

As he told the 911 operator that his wife Ashley Flynn had been shot by an intruder. She was in bed, shot in the head while her two daughters

were sleeping soundly in their bedroom. But days after making that horrific discovery and calling 911, it was Caleb who was arrested and charged in the murder of his wife. And right now, at the time of recording this episode, it's been seven months since Ashley was shot dead in her own home. And Caleb is on trial. So far, there have been six days of trial, six bombshell days full of witnesses, including the mistress, yes, a mistress. And hold tight because

that testimony and spoiler alert, the songs he made and sang for the mistress being played in open court are some of the most cringy things I have yet to hear in all of my time covering trials. So stick with me as we will go through it all. As hidden true crime does, we have dug deep. We have the full story, everything you need to know to understand this heartbreaking case and what we know so far as the jury decides Caleb's fate. My name is Lauren Matthias, and this is Hidden True Crime. When I first heard about Ashley Flynn, I thought about Micah Miller. In April of 2024, Micah's death drew national attention, and we covered it here at Hidden True Crime.

She was a pastor's wife, deeply involved in her church, specifically on the worship team side, and as people began looking beyond the public image of that marriage, a far more painful story emerged, Infidelity, control, stalking, and fear were all a major part of that marriage. Days after Micah filed for divorce, Michael was found dead at the Lumber River State Park. Her death was ruled a suicide by gun. Her estranged husband, J.P. Miller, pastor J.P. Miller was later charged with cybersocking her before she died, although he has not been charged in her death. J.P. is now currently remarried to Susie Skinner, a church member who,

whose husband also died under what I would consider some pretty mysterious circumstances. J.P. Miller is currently awaiting a federal trial. And in some ways, not all, but Ashley Flynn's case has some eerie similarities. Ashley Flynn was born to Todd and Jill Smith on February 24th, 1988, and her little sister, Kayla, was born not too long after. They're about a year apart. Ashley grew up in Tip City, Ohio, and after graduating school in 2006, she attended Lee University in Tennessee. That's where she met Caleb. And in 2010, the two of them, they got married. And according to Caleb's LinkedIn, he went on to be the worship arts pastor at Livingwood Church from 2010 to 2015. But in between those years, two very big things. Happened. First, Caleb was on American Idol in 2013.

My name is Caleb Flynn. I'm from Tip City, Ohio. I auditioned because I'm sure everybody says it, but music is all I know. It's what I've lived to do. And I love to sing. So that's why I auditioned. Maybe my wife kind of nudged me a little bit too. My first thought when I got my golden ticket, honestly, all I could do was cover my face because I cried a little bit. I'm kind of a cry baby. I get it from my mom. and my dad. But it was honestly just pure joy, excitement. I tried out for American Idol two or three years ago and I didn't make it. And so to get this was all the more sweeter and all the more meaningful. So it was awesome. The person that inspires me to be informer, I guess, would say the Lord. I'm a music pastor. And so that's my job every week is to go up there and to sing and to connect what I do on stage of the congregation. So first and foremost, obviously, is the Lord. Thing that makes me unique, you know, I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything.

She is very, very pretty. Just, I love her. But, you know, I'm just a normal person who absolutely loves to sing more than anything in the world. And I think I have a different sound of my voice. I have something to offer. Not long after his American Idol moment, Ashley and Caleb welcomed their first little girl, Alyssa into the world. And then two years later, they had another little girl, Eva. And while starting a family, Caleb continued in his ministry role as the worship pastor from 2015 to 2021 at Free Chapel

in South Carolina. However, eventually Caleb and Ashley decided it was time to move closer to Ashley's family in Ohio. And once there, Ashley worked as a middle school volleyball coach and substitute teacher. Caleb, on the other hand, joined his father-in-law and his brother-in-law at Ashley's dad's company, Richard D. Smith, and sons. So the company is a flooring and church furnishing business that seems to have done pretty well for itself over the last few decades. Caleb ended up taking over the role of vice president of sales and in 2025 and brought home an estimated $200,000. Well, alongside that, Caleb also were, worked in a volunteer and contracted role of worship leader at their local church, Christian Life Center,

helping to lead worship on select Sundays with a team of people who included the head worship leader, Aaliyah Botner. Remember that name. Aaliyah Botner. But the Flins were not just your average, close family. Because when it came to Ashley's side, they were extremely close. The Flins saw Ashley's parents and sisters, family, no less than one time a week, but usually multiple times a week. They vacationed together, at least yearly. They went to church together. They had family dinners. You name it, they did it. Ashley's family was close. And at one point, Ashley's parents even started giving their daughters and their families part of their inheritance each month. The goal was so that their granddaughters could always do the activities they wanted to do, and that as a family,

everyone could make memories. Ashley's dad, Todd, had even decided he was going to gift that successful business to his daughter so they could carry on the legacy and provide for their families. Ashley would get 50% of the business, and Kayla would get the other 50%. In fact, in August 2025, they had started having planning meetings on how to hand the company over. And those planning meetings, did include both husbands, Matthew, and Caleb, as they mapped out what their financial future could look like upon taking over the company. In January, 26, Caleb began working at the company, and the goal was for Ashley to eventually work there and be the social media director and sales coordinator. So from the outside looking in, it looked like they had it all. Not only just the Flynn family

of four, but Ashley's entire side of the family, but little did many know that all of that was about to come crashing down and beneath the surface were things no one could have ever fully expected. It was the evening of February 15th, the day after Valentine's Day, 2026. And Ashley had prepared a Galentine's night for her, Ava, and Alyssa that night. It was something all three of them were so excited about and looking forward to. Ashley had planned exciting food and snacks for the evening. Ashley washed her girl's hair. They did facials and she painted their nails. They snapped a cute selfie together and after a fun girl's night,

Eva and Alyssa went to bed in their bedroom. Both Ashley and Caleb also headed to bed. But according to Caleb, since he had a cough, Ashley had asked him to sleep on the couch, presumably so she could get a good night's rest or not get sick herself. And then at 2.31 a.m. that 911 call came in from the Flynn family home. Somebody broke into my home. Somebody broke in my home and got my life. Are they still in there? I don't know. I don't know. Hey, what's the address?

932 County here in court, Texas in Ohio. Please, please, please, please. What are you seeing? My wife, she got two shots to her hands. There's blood everywhere. Oh my God. Oh, my God. I mean, I need you to take a deep breath, okay? Do you still see anybody in the house? No, the door to the ground was wide open. Please, hurry, please. Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. My daughters are here. My daughters are here. Where is she at? She's in the bed. She's in the bed. Are you with her? I am in the room.

I'm looking at her, yes, please. Police showed up, and the home was immediately deemed a crime scene. this was a normal family in a normal home on a random early Monday morning who would do this more importantly why would someone do this as the two girls slept blissfully unaware that their mom had just been shot to death in her own bed officers made their way through the house to clear it and make sure there was not an intruder still inside and while they did that Caleb made two phone calls First, he called his mom in Minnesota, and next he called Ashley's mom Jill. And within minutes, Jill was on her way to her daughter's house.

Police Body Cam catches Jill and Caleb embracing moments after Jill reaches the home. She then asks officers to get Caleb a blanket. And meanwhile, police had already begun talking to Caleb to try to understand what had transpired. And they had also gotten EMTs to the scene for him to be checked out. Caleb explained that he woke up due to hearing the dog's collar shaking. They had two golden doodles, Sophie and Rosie. Caleb said he first thought maybe one of his daughters was up getting water, but then he realized she wasn't up.

So Caleb explained that he then went into his daughter's room and laid in there before being woken up by the sound of somebody breaking in and then the sound of gunshots. Caleb said he then ran to check on Ashley and that is when he found her. Deceased, shot in the head. And as police began investigating, word quickly began traveling through Ashley's family. Her brother-in-law Matthew rushed out the door in efforts to get to Caleb to support him. Ashley's father, who was on a trip at the time, had just fallen asleep before getting the call, jumped right back in the car and began driving home.

Caleb's family started heading in from Minnesota, and Jill, Ashley's mother, was let in the house by police to get Eva and Alyssa and take them to her home. She carried one girl out while Caleb carried another. It had been barely any time since she found out her daughter was shot to death, and here she was taking her two sweet granddaughters home with her. They had no idea what they were about to be told. And once they got back to Jill's house and Caleb arrived, he told them that someone had broken into the house and killed their mom. Eva and Alyssa were climbing all over him screaming, no, daddy, no. The investigation was in full force. The family began coming in.

in, and that night, Jill and Todd gave up their home to Caleb, his parents, and their granddaughters. So when I told you that this was a tight-knit family, I wasn't joking, these parents, in their hardest moment, after finding out their daughter was murdered with a killer on the loose, still offered up their home to their son-in-law and his immediate family. And after offering up their home to Caleb's family, Todd and Jill slept over at their daughter Kayla's house. With a killer still on the loose, Kayla was terrified. Cameras were set up, doors were locked with bars placed over them. Kayla and Matthews two little girls slept in bed with them. And as the investigation moved forward, the inconsistencies, well, they began to build.

First, Caleb told officers that the intruder had come through the garage door. But the tool marks on the garage door weren't exactly the marks that would be made if someone had actually busted through the garage door. Second, when officers asked Caleb if he had any guns, he mentioned having a 9mm gun that he kept in the center console of his truck. Are there any firearms in this house? I have a shotgun. Okay. Is that okay?

A shotgun and a 22 and like a pali-gun. Okay, where? I have a handgun in my truck in the gold box. That center console of the truck was open when the homeless searched and the gun was nowhere to be found. Ashley's wounds matched as coming from a 9mm gun. And third, Ashley's aunt reached out to the police with a tip. And that tip led them to two of Ashley's closest friends who then tipped officers off about a mistress. Yeah, the mistress. And that mistress, 24-year-old Alia Botner, that main worship leader at the

Flynn's church. Someone the entire family knew and went to church with, yet no one in that family was fully aware about this affair that had been going on. No one that is, except they learned Ashley knew. And now Ashley was dead. It's official. I have reached that age where if any clothes are uncomfortable, I'm just not wearing it. And that includes heels, which I stopped about five years ago. I don't care how cute it is, and that includes my bras. I am not spending an entire day pulling its straps, adjusting things or secretly counting down until I can take off whatever it is. That's one of the reasons I've been loving Honey Love. Their bras give support and shape, but they use innovative bonding. technology instead of that uncomfortable underwire that we're so used to. So I am not sacrificing comfort to feel supported. Their new crossover contour bra has molded foam cups for a smooth natural shape. And I love the idea behind their cloud embrace bra. It's soft and breathable, but still designed to give you real support. And Honey Love is female founded with products actually designed by women

who wear them, which honestly makes sense once you put them on. Treat yourself to the most advanced bras and shapewear on the market that are comfortable. Use our exclusive link to save 20% off HoneyLove at Honeylove.com slash hidden. That's honeylove.com slash hidden. And after you check out, they will ask where you heard about them. Please support our show Hidden Chew Crime and tell them that we sent you. Experience the new standard in comfort and support with Honeylove. In August of 2025, Ashley and Caleb took a cruise to celebrate their fifth.

15th anniversary. And while on that cruise, Ashley had found messages between Alia and Caleb. She eventually asked to meet with Alia, but Alia, she refused. And with a mountain of evidence, just building and building and building, Caleb was finally arrested on February 19th, three days after his wife Ashley was shot to death in her own bed. Nearly a month later on March 18th, Caleb was charged with 11 counts. One count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and three counts of tampering with evidence, and two counts of witness intimidation. He ultimately pleaded not guilty. And now here we are, again, month later, at trial. And with that background, let's hop into what we've learned in these first

six days of trial. Day one. The Caleb Flynn trial began last Friday, and prosecutor Paul Watkins opened the state's case with Caleb's own words. I was up until 4 a.m. last night, crime, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail. If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat. That is how dark and how hateful I feel. Those two messages are Caleb Flynn's own words. The words about his wife Ashley, words communicated to his mistress. Those messages were sent months apart and before Ashley's murder. prosecutors argued those messages were not isolated expressions of anger, but part of a larger pattern. Caleb hated his marriage.

He wanted Ashley gone and was discussing that with the woman he hoped to build a future with. And then came the night before Ashley was killed. According to the state, Caleb messaged his mistress, I choose you. I'm free. Followed by actions. We'll come tomorrow, February 16th, a day I'll never forget." End quote. Yeah.

And the next morning, Ashley was found dead in bed, shot twice in the back of the head. The murder weapon has never been recovered. But Caleb owned a 9mm handgun that he normally kept in the center console of his truck. So when police arrived, that console, again, it was open. The gun was gone. And Ashley had been killed with 9mm ammunition. The state argued that the physical evidence also undermined Caleb's story that an intruder broke into the house, killed Ashley, and then escaped.

Investigators found no clear trail showing someone approaching or fleeing the property, and prosecutors said damage to a side garage door did not appear consistent with a genuine forest entry, particularly because the door was unlocked. They also pointed to Caleb's iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, saying his digital activity contradicted, his claim that he had been asleep. Watkins repeatedly returned to one line. Quote, people lie, evidence doesn't, end quote. And prosecutor said motive was documented in more than 100,000 messages between Caleb and

his mistress during the year before Ashley's death. Their theory was that Caleb had a lot to lose through a normal divorce, including his relationship with his daughters, his job with Ashley's family. business and his position as a worship leader, but potentially much more to preserve if Ashley died and her murder could be blamed on a stranger. Its convergence does not tell a story of a faceless in truth. The truth was written by Caleb's own words, recorded by Caleb's own devices, and confirmed by the evidence Caleb left behind. At the end of this trial, after you heard from the officers, the investigators, forensic examiners,

digital analysts and other witnesses. After you've seen the messages, the timelines, the photographs, the 911 evidence, the device records, and the scene evidence, after you've compared Caleb's words, his conduct, and his story, with the physical and digital evidence, the state will ask you to return verdicts that speak the truth about what happened inside Ash's home. The only evidence of investigation.

intruder, his Caleb's own words. It was the story Caleb told after the evidence had already begun to speak. The evidence will not show that Ashley was murdered by a stranger who vanished into the night. The evidence will show that Ashley was murdered by her husband, the father of her two young children. The defense didn't dispute the affair or pretend Caleb's messages weren't disturbing. Instead, Attorney Emily Smith drew a hard line between being a terrible. husband and being a murderer. Very James Craig-like, for those that remember James Craig's trial, if you know, you know. She said there was no eyewitness to Ashley's killing, no surveillance footage showing Caleb shooting her, and no recovered murder weapon tying him directly to the crime.

Her message was that motive is not proof. She said a tragedy deserves more than a theory. By all accounts, Ashley was a woman who saw the beauty and light in others. She loved her children, her family and was deeply loved in return by those who knew her. And she was taken from them. There is no argument as to the degree of tragedy that this is. No one in this courtroom is going to dispute that. Ashley's death is a profound tragedy, but a woman's life is worth more than mere speculation alone. Ashley Flynn deserves justice, and a tragedy deserves more than a theory. True justice can only be built

on a firm foundation of evidence, not speculation, assumptions, hollow circumstantial evidence, convenience, or a rush to a conclusion. The evidence in this case will establish, above all else, that the only thing that we know is that Caleb had unfair.

The state of Ohio has pinned its entire case on the flawed claim that's simply because Caleb Flynn had motive to leave his wife, that he instead murdered her and manipulated the scene. The evidence will show text messages between Caleb and his mistress. At times, Caleb said, ugly, hurtful, selfish things about his wife Ashley to appease his mistress. And at the same time, the evidence will show a warm and loving text message

between Caleb and Ashley regularly. It will also demonstrate that he is texting with his mistress about making plans regarding a divorce throughout their time of their relationship. You're going to hear about lies, life that Kayla told Alia to make her happy and the lies that Caleb told Ashley to shield her and her family from the truth.

We're not going to stand here and excuse Caleb for this, stated plainly Caleb betrayed Ashley as a husband. This trial is not the first time that any of you have heard about a man having a fair in line about it. Smith argued that once investigators discovered the affair, Caleb became the most convenient scapegoat. An evidence was then shoehorned into a theory police had already chosen. She also challenged the idea that there were only two possibilities, that an intruder did exactly what Caleb described or Caleb killed Ashley and staged the scene, arguing there could be other possibilities investigators failed to thoroughly explore.

And she warned jurors not to let their feelings about Caleb fill gaps in the evidence. Caleb is not on trial for being a bad husband. He's not on trial for cheating. She told them, you may even hate him. But the verdict, their verdict, the juror's verdict, had to come from evidence rather than emotion. So by the end of opening statements, the battle lines were pretty clear. The state said Caleb's own words, digital activity, and the physical evidence would show that Ashley's murder was staged to look like a home invasion.

The defense said prosecutors had taken an affair, horrific messages, and an incomplete investigation, and turned them into a murder case without proving Caleb was the person who pulled the trigger. The state's first witness was Beth Hull from the Miami County Communications Center, who authenticated Caleb's 911 call. In it, Caleb told the dispatcher

that someone had broken into his home and killed his wife. My name? Not in the home? Oh, my God. Somebody broken in my home. Somebody broke in my home. Are they still in there?

I don't know. I don't know. Okay, what's the address? 932 County County of court, Pittsburgh, Ohio. Please, please, please, please. What are you seeing? My wife, she got two shots in her head, there's blood everywhere.

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. Ma'am, I need you to take a deep breath, okay? Do you still see anybody in the house? No, the door to the ground was wide open. Please, hurry, please. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, my daughters are here. My daughter's here. Where is she at?

She's in the bed. She's in the bed. Are you with her? I am not. room, I'm looking at her, yes, please. Okay, you guys have the door locked? That room out in the house. My partner's getting them dispatched, okay, but I need you to answer my question so I can get you help as fast as I can, okay?

What question? Where are you guys at in the house? I am in the bedroom with her right now. Okay. My daughter's in their room. So you are not with the children? I was with the children when it happened. Okay, but you're not with them now?

No, they're in their room. They're not even awake. Oh, my God, oh my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Okay, I need you to take a deep breath for me. Are you... Are you...

...he rubbed her leg and said her name. She's not answering you? No. Hold on. I'm sorry. The other... Okay. ...in their room.

Okay. Are you hearing any kind of noise inside the house? Oh, sir. Her face is... Your wife? She was what? What? And they're not everywhere.

Okay, she's not responding to you? No, no. Anybody in my house? Well, I can... The door to walk, the biller could leading to the garage door was wide open when I ran in there. Okay, do you see any kind of vehicles? Um, no, no, no, the side door in my garage door that's open by the... Oh, my God.

Okay, just take it depress for me. Okay, okay, they're getting to as quick as they can. What do? What do I do? Is she breathing out? Comfortable? I want you to go and find a claw, then I want you to put a cloth on that gunshot wound, okay?

Yes, I get down, but do not apply direct pressure to it. Just put it on that blood wound, okay? Get deep breath for me, okay? Okay, okay. Just get that cloth, then I want you to put it pressure to it, okay? I keep waiting on your head. Okay. The juveniles? Are they okay? Have you checked on them?

I haven't checked on. Okay. Can you go check on the juveniles for me? The police is here. The police is here. Okay. Can you go check on the juveniles for me? The cops are cold. They just do this left. They're left. The juveniles for me, okay? They're still sleeping. You're still sleeping? Okay. You still see them breathing? You don't see any wounds on them?

No, no. The cops are... And then came Sergeant Corey Rizmiller, one of the first officers at the Flynn home. He arrived around 2.36 a.m., roughly five minutes after the 911 call and testified that Caleb immediately told him that Ashley had been shot and that their two daughters were still asleep inside. During his initial sweep of the home, Rizmiller entered the master bedroom and found Ashley lying on the bed with two spent shell casings nearby. Her position made it appear she had been asleep when she was shot and he saw no obvious signs of a struggle. So I walked in there. I did see two shell casings, spent shell casings on the ground. So I made sure I didn't step on them.

Then I was in the victim to check on her. And he told me that the dispatcher said to put a sheet or towel over a victim's head. when you walked up to the victim, what did you observe? The victim, I couldn't really tell where she was facing anything because of her head, because she was laying in bed, on the left side of the bed, and I removed the towel. She was facing towards the middle of bed, she was on her left side with her left arm. I don't know if it was under a pillow or under her head that is up under the United States. I could mind under pillows.

I don't know if it was under her head or her. until I can't remember. Can you describe what you saw? When I seen around, I can tell that there was significant trauma to the back of her head, which appeared to be gunshot wound. There was some dry blood around it. So, I mean, I looked at it and I could tell from my experience and been on suicide, that kind of stuff, that the defendant was, or I'm sorry, the victim was deceased.

Did you touch the victim? No, I did. One thing I did was remove the towel. from her head was the only thing I moved into the bedroom. Things stick out to you in the bedroom? Well, you can tell that, it looked like there's no one sleeping on the other side of bed. When there was some blankets and pillows

on the left in front of the dresser, which I'm really not sure what they were there for. When she looked like she was sleeping, I mean, when she was shot, I mean, it looked like there was no, you know, start on us. I mean, it looked like when she was asleep, but she was shot. EMS entered shortly afterward and pronounced her dead. And at that point, police were still treating this as a possible home invasion.

And Rizmiller stressed that Caleb was not initially considered a suspect. Officers requested canine teams, deputies searched the surrounding area, and a drone was eventually brought in. But no fleeing suspect was found. The defense, however, highlighted an important gap. Rizmiller's body camera malfunctioned and was not recording when he first arrived. So there is no body camera footage of his earliest conversation with Caleb or his first walk, at least through the house. The defense also established that the canine and drone searches were not immediate and that fog affected conditions that morning. The next witness was Officer Alexandria Jim Papa and she arrived

seconds after Rizmiller and helped clear the property. In the garage, officers found a side door open and noticed the center console of Caleb's truck was also open, but Jam Papa said that that did not seem significant at the time. When she asked Caleb about firearms, he listed several guns, including a handgun that he said was in his truck. She later stayed with Caleb, as he called his mother and Ashley's mother, and described him as extremely emotional, crying, and struggling. to breathe. Kiela told Jan Papa he had been sick and had slept in one of his daughter's rooms, who was also sick. He said he heard the dogs moving around, eventually fell asleep, and later woke to someone breaking in and gunshots. On cross-examination, the defense highlighted

limitations in the initial scene investigation, including a comment captured on Jan Papa's body camera that, quote, said, none of us have walked around the back, end quote. So she clarified that other officers may have done so, but she personally could not say how thoroughly the exterior had been searched. Importantly, she also testified that Caleb's early accounts to different people were relatively consistent with no differences that she considered jarring. Firefighter paramedic Alex Holes testified that Ashley had no pulse or signs of life when he examined her and that her injuries were so severe that resuscitation was not even attempted. But the more significant part of his testimony came on cross-examination.

Bulls remember describing the scene as appearing fresh. He couldn't give an exact time of death, but based on Ashley's appearance, he did not believe she had been dead for hours. The jury then heard about two separate attempts to find evidence of a fleeing intruder. Troy police officer Hunter Bradburn launched a thermal imaging drone around 356 a.m. more than an hour after police first arrived. He searched around the Flynn home and adjoining properties for roughly an hour but found no unexplained human heat signatures. The defense pointed out the obvious limitation. By then, anyone fleeing on foot or any vehicle could potentially have traveled well beyond the drone search area. So the search showed nobody hiding nearby when Bradburn

looked, but it could not prove that nobody had fled earlier. Deputy David Laycox arrived with his bloodhound, Hayes, after police told him they believed an intruder had entered and escaped through the west side garage door. Leacock said the heavy dew created a favorable tracking condition for the dog, and he could see the footprints he and Hayes made approaching the property. But he saw no comparable trail suggesting that someone had fled from the house. And when Hayes was started near the garage door, he repeatedly pulled toward the house rather than tracking away from the house.

Multiple perimeter searches produced the same result, no scent trail leading away from the west side or rear of the property. But the defense, again, narrowed what the evidence could actually prove. Leacock acknowledged that Hayes wasn't successful on every deployment. The front of the property could not be reliably searched because police had already contaminated it with their own scent. And the entire exercise began with an assumption supplied by investigators that the intrans truce was, that the intruder used that particular garage door. Most importantly, Leacock's agreed that the negative track could not establish that nobody left the residence.

It only meant Hayes found no human scent trail leading away through the areas that he searched. The final witness of day one was FBI Special Agent Michael Tom. The FBI joined the investigation after Ashley's death and nine agents participated in a neighborhood campus. Over the following days, agents went door to door through Cunningham Court and surrounding neighborhoods, ultimately canvassing more than 80 homes. They were looking for witnesses, suspicious activity, and especially, most importantly, surveillance footage that might have captured a person or vehicle moving through the neighborhood around the time that Ashley was killed. And despite that extensive canvas, Tom testified that residents reported very little investigators,

considered unusual. And with that, the first day of testimony came to an end. And then it was day two, which opened with Ohio BCI Special Agent David Hammond, a veteran crime scene investigator who has worked more than a thousand felony scenes. Hammond arrived at the Flynn home shortly after 7 a.m. several hours after Ashley was killed. Investigators were working from Caleb's account that he had been sick and sleeping separately when an intruder entered through the garage around 2.3 a.m., shot Ashley and then fled. They had also been told that Caleb normally kept a loaded handgun in the center console of his Ford F-150. Hammond would spend roughly 12 hours processing the scene, and what he found ultimately led him to believe Ashley's murder had been staged. It had been staged to look like a

burglary. There were no obvious signs of forced entry at the front door, windows, or rear patio door, leaving the side garage door the alleged entry point. And that door, it was damaged. Bahamond said the damage did not look like a genuine break-in. There were no prime marks or evidence it had been kicked in. The latch and deadbolt still worked. And the strike plate was bent in the opposite direction from what he would expect if a locked door had been violently forced inward. His conclusion was that the damage appeared to have occurred while the door was already open. And then there was Caleb's truck, the center console, where investigators had been told he kept his handgun, which was again open, and the gun, again, it was gone.

So when Ashley's bedroom investigators recovered two 9mm shell casings, bullet material, and what appeared to be a bone fragment from the pillow beneath her head. Another bullet was later recovered near her elbow during the autopsy. And then other firearms, they were found in the house but no 9mm handgun that could account for Ashley's shooting. Hammond testified that Ashley was lying on her left side in bed, still in her pajamas. And again, he saw no obvious evidence of a struggle or that her body had been repositioned. The blood flow and levidity were consistent with the position in which she was found. leading him to believe that Ashley had been asleep, or at least lying still when she was shot.

Investigators also noticed that box fans were running on high in both the master bedroom and the children's bedroom, including the room where Caleb said he had been sleeping before hearing the break-in and gunshots. But the defense spent cross-examination drawing a distinction between a scene that looked suspicious and proof that Caleb had staged it. Haman had not witnessed the crime or interviewed Caleb himself, and investigators found no blood spatter patterns on Caleb's clothing that could place him beside Ashley when she was shot. And while Hammond believed the garage door damage looked staged, he couldn't say when it happened, how long the door had been unlocked or completely rule out other methods of entry. We know from that briefing that no one saw the intruder in this particular case, correct? The briefing didn't indicate that anyone was identified as entering us.

And no one saw the door that the person entered. I think the briefing indicated that the perpetrator or the person entered through the garage was the information that I was provided. Sure. And that information came from a non-law enforcement-trained individual who was under great distress at the time. I was provided that information from the Tos City Police Department. The only person that they got that information was from Mr. Flynn. And the jury got to see what state he was in when that information was being provided. honors their question. Yes, sustained. Bottom line, you

accepted the briefing without interviewing Mr. Flynn, correct? My role at the same was to say yes or a no. Can you ask the question again? Sure. You did not interview Mr. Flynn. That's correct. So you accepted the wording

and the briefing without interviewing the source of the information on that particular debt, correct? My role left the scene was... I don't care about your role. That would be a correct statement. That's a yes or no question. That's correct that I did. Thank you. As far as your decision or a conclusion that there was no forced entry on the rear door, you found that door to be unlocked, correct? I did.

And you don't know how many days that door was unlocked, correct? That's correct. And when you got your briefing, you were told there was a refrigerator that sat in front of that door. Yes. Implying that the door was never used. As far as the damage on the outside of the door, the door handled and what have you, the what you call, I think, the rose. that damage cannot be determined when that occurred. So we don't know how many times the person who did that

came to that particular property to do that, correct? And there's no test that you're aware of that would determine whether or not that door was eventually picked. In other words, the lock was picked. You have no idea. I don't. I don't think there is a test for that, is it? I don't believe so.

I think that there was a photograph of some items in the freezer of the refrigerator. Yes. There was also no evidence that someone had recently scrubbed blood from the bedroom or bathroom, and Hammond acknowledged that an intruder wearing gloves could avoid leaving fingerprints. And most importantly, the murder weapon was still missing. So Hammond's opinion remained unchanged. To him, this looked like a homicide state. as a burglary, but the defense did establish the limitation of that conclusion.

Evidence inconsistent with a typical burglary did not necessarily prove that an intruder could not have entered the house. BCI crime scene technician Holly Rizak largely corroborated Hammond. And because the master bathroom appeared unusually clean, she tested the sink and shower drains for diluted blood, both were negative, a stain on the master bedroom light switch, did test, presumptively positive for blood, and she collected potential touch DNA from several areas, including Caleb's truck and the center console latch, where his handgun was reportedly stored. Rizak also independently examined the garage door and reached essentially the same conclusion as Hammond. The damage was inconsistent with the four-century scenes that she had

encountered before with the significant damage occurring on the inside rather than the exterior. And next came forensic pathologist Dr. Brian Castro, who performed Ashley's autopsy. He determined that she died from two gunshot wounds to the back right side of the head. The wounds were extremely close together, and the bullets traveled along nearly parallel paths. One bullet exited and then re-entered Ashley near her left elbow, supporting the theory that her arm had been beneath her head when she was shot, consistent with the position in which investigators found her. Casto found essentially no other injuries suggesting that Ashley had physically struggled with anyone.

Casto said the geometry of the wound suggested the gun was relatively close to Ashley, but the defense forced an important clarification. His official finding on firing distance was in, indeterminate. There was no suit, stippling or thermal injury that allowed him to scientifically determine how far the muzzle had been from Ashley, and he also could not establish her precise time of death. As you are here today in open court, and you testify before the court today, it is your opinion that the overlapping entrance wounds indicate that these wounds were caused from a quote, close range. Is that correct? Well, he was asking what that

would imply two wounds sharing a similar paths and entrance and exit defects. And so I was just making the comment that an indoor scene with shared entrance wounds, shared exit wounds, and parallel paths, that would imply a very close range. My report is using the term indeterminate because other than the holes themselves that are clearly entrances, I don't have any other features that would help me with a specific range of fire. In other words, soot, gum powder, something called gumpowder, stippling, thermal injury. I don't have any of that on the skin or even on the underlying bone to give a specific range of fire. So you're right.

My report says indeterminate, and it's indeterminate for that reason. I was interpreting his question regarding what does that mean to me for shared entrances that have parallel paths and shared exits. To me, that would imply a close range. But the specific range of fire in my report is not determined or indetermined. Okay. So it is your opinion here that you are unable to determine the specific range at which these wounds were caused? That's right. Okay.

That's right. And we do not have a specific distance that you would be able to tell us about today for your examination. That's right. Okay. Okay. Toxicology showed Prozac and a significantly elevated level of melatonin. Casto believed the result indicated that Ashley had actually taken melatonin before her death rather than the level reflecting what her body naturally produced. But he did not characterize it as a toxic or extraordinary amount.

and acknowledged similar levels can occur with ordinary use, particularly in people who regularly take higher doses. So this testimony did not establish that Ashley had been drugged, only that she appeared to have taken melatonin before she died. Another detail the state could place alongside its argument that she was lying quietly in bed when she was shot. Detective Adam Bernard then showed just how extensive the search for the missing gun became. Investigators searched the home and properties surrounding woods in public areas, storm drains, both vehicles, the attic, and a larger area with a team of officers. They even contacted nearly two dozen gun stores in South Carolina attempting to locate paperwork for the firearm Caleb reportedly purchased there. And despite all of it,

investigators never recovered the murder weapon or records allowing Bernard to definitively identify that firearm. The defense also raised a potentially important issue involving tips submitted during the investigation. Bernard's role was largely administrative. He forwarded homicide-related tips to the FBI and generally didn't know what happened with those reports afterward. Defense counsel specifically attempted to raise a tip from a man named Zachary McIntosh involving allegations about a supposed hit and someone having made a mistake. The judge prevented much of the substance from reaching the jury. So none of those allegations were established as true. It's not offered for the truth of the matter asserted. I want to know was this tip,

not in the anonymous tip, just a tip who was investigated, or was being investigated at the time, if you know. I don't know. Again, I would print them off and I would give them. to the FBI. I don't know what was investigated. They wrote their own supplemental reports that I don't have access to. I don't have access to the FBI's reporting system.

Okay. And who was actually reading these reports? In other words, how would you determine whether or not this was an actual report of any value? Any tip that came in, again, I didn't read through them.

I gave them to the FBI, so I had no I didn't sort through any, I assume every report that's report is of value because someone took the time to call us and stated, but I didn't review any of them. Okay. And would it be of any interest to you as a relatively new detective if a person called in indicating not only what happened, but how the person got in the house? That would be of interest. Okay. And do you know whether or not not officers little report was in fact followed up on.

I don't know if the FBI followed up on them. Would it be of interest to the TIPC City Police Department if in fact this person who called in said that the intended target? Objection around. Hold on. Here's it. Sistine. If a call came in indicating that there was a perpetrator or that there was a hit on somebody,

that would be of somewhat interest to the Tip City Police Department, correct? Yes. Okay. And if the intended target of that hit was not in fact taken out, would that be of interest to the Tip City Police Department? Yes. Okay. Was that reported back to you in the detective section that that's the call that came in on February 16?

No, like I said, we had different duties. was assigned to do other things, the FBI was assigned to follow up on the tips. If that information came back, it would have been reported to someone above me who was in a more managerial position. Was there anyone besides you who was given a daily assignment to, in fact, look at tips? The FBI was assigned to look at them. Well, I'm talking about identify them so that the people up above the view on the food chain would actually be able to see them.

It was your job to collect them, correct? My job was to print them out. Yeah. Organize them, yes? Yeah. Okay. And present them to people who in fact could review them. Yes.

So Bernard acknowledged that information suggesting that someone had ordered a hit and the intended target survived would certainly be relevant to a homicide investigation. And he could not tell the jury whether that particular tip had actually even been investigated. So for now, all the jury knows is that it was forwarded to the FBI. Bernard also introduced evidence that clearly appeared to be setting up testimony for later in the trial. More than a month after Ashley's death, investigators returned to collect an empty AirPods case from Caleb's bedside table. They obtained more than 100,000 lines of Caleb's GroupMe data, and they collected a blink camera found beneath the television. At this point, though, the jury still hadn't been taken.

told why the AirPods mattered or what, if anything, the GroupMe records and camera would ultimately reveal to be determined, right? The final witness, though, was Officer Luke Veldman, whose testimony demonstrated the sheer scope of the digital investigation. He helped prepare roughly 34 search warrants in several subpoenas covering accounts and devices belonging to Caleb, Ashley, and Alia Botner, the mistress, including Goose. Google records, the blink camera, and Alia's social media, Venmo, and phone data. The important takeaway wasn't what those records showed. The jury hadn't gotten there yet, but how extensively investigators had looked into Alia as well.

Police obtained information from several of her online accounts and warrants involving multiple phones. That could become important later because it establishes that investigators had access to numerous independent sources capable of either corroborating or contradicting what the jury would eventually hear about Caleb and Alia's relationship. And with that, day two came to an end. And day three began with Tip City Officer Will Roberts, who collected evidence directly from Caleb. Two days, two days after Ashley's murder is when he collected evidence. Caleb voluntarily provided DNA, fingerprints, palm prints, and his clothing, and Robert saw nothing unusual on his hands. But the defense highlighted something police did not collect. Roberts was never instructed to test

Caleb's hands or clothing for gunshot residue. In fact, after taking his fingerprints, Roberts told Caleb to wash his hands. Roberts later returned to the Flynn property and searched vents, the HVAC system and beneath a shed for the missing gun, but found nothing. And then the state called Ashley's mother, Jill Smith, to the stand. And Jill described Ashley as her best friend. Can you describe what your relationship was like with Ashley? It was wonderful. We were best friends.

We talked every day, encouraged each other every day. and her whole life, we just had a wonderful relationship. She was an excellent daughter. Jill said Ashley and Caleb's marriage had always appeared good, but something had seemed different during the final six months. At the time of Ashley's death, how would you describe her relationship with Caleb that you're aware of? At the time of her death, good.

It was somewhat strained. I think the last six months that I could tell, but other than that good. Did Ashley ever confided you about her marriage? No, no. She always wanted us to think the best of Caleb. Did Caleb ever confided you about their marriage? No. Did you notice any changes in Ashley's behavior prior to her death? No, no, I'd say it was normal.

She was a little strange, I think. Just, you can tell if there's not a lot of peace in their home. And I couldn't pinpoint why, and I don't think she could pinpoint why. And then Jill described the phone call that she received around three that morning. Miss Smith, when did you learn something? I was 16 at three in the morning. I heard my phone ringing. And Todd had just left that morning, early that morning.

to go on a snowmobile trip with his friends in Canada. So he was 17 hours away, and I thought it was him, because I thought he's telling me that they got there safely. So I jumped up, and I had left my phone in the bathroom. So I went to get it, and I saw that this Caleb. And I thought, what the world? And so I answered it, and Caleb said, What do you mean?

What do you mean who's gone? He said, Ashley, she's gone. And I said, what do you mean? He said, someone broke in and thudder. And I said, Caleb, I'll be right there. He said, you can't come, the police are here. And I said, Caleb, I'll be right there. And I hung up.

And I started getting really dizzy. I laid down on the bathroom floor. I can't remember the tile was so cold until I could get up. It seemed like forever, but I don't know, maybe it was five minutes. And so as soon as I got up,

I called Todd, and thankfully he answered. And I told him, I said, Caleb just called and said, someone broke in and murdered Ashley. And he said, Joe, what are you talking about? And I repeated myself.

and said, he said someone broke in and heard Ashley. I said, I gotta go over there. I gotta go right now. So I said, I'll call you later. So I hung up and got dressed. And I got in the car and drove over there. And at this point I, you know, I wasn't crying. Because I thought, there's just no way.

There's no way. Do you know about what time it was you brought over there to residence? I'd say 3.30. 30, 345 maybe. What happened once you arrived? I pulled around the corner and I saw all the flashing lights and then I knew it was true and all the other case and I was, Detective Morgan came up to me first and he said, I'm so sorry Mrs. Smith and I said, is it true? And he said yes. And he said, I had to ask me

few questions real quick. Okay. I don't want you to get into your conversation with Detective Morgan, but did you ultimately see the defendant there? Not yet. He had not come out yet. Okay. When did he come out? He, he, after Detective Morgan asked me a few questions, then Caleb came out. And what did you do when he came out? We hugged each other and he said, what are we going to do, Jill? What are we going to do? And I said, I don't know. I said, I'm in shock. And then, you know what we can?

We sat down on the front porch step because I wasn't allowed to go in. And he was shaking, and I asked someone to bring him a blanket. And it wrapped around him, and I asked if maybe someone can call it. EMT because I was afraid he was going to go into shock. Was he seen by the EMT? Excuse me? Was he seen by the EMT? But before he was seen by the EMT, I asked him, Kna did what happened? And he told me.

What did he say happened? He said, they went to bed and he was golfing. So Ashley asked him to sleep on the couch. So he was sleeping on the couch. then he said he heard the dog's collars shaking and he that's what woke him up

and he thought maybe one of the girls had got up to get a glass of water and he said then he heard Alyssa coughing so he went into the girl's room and he lay down with Ava and then he

heard a gunshot and he said he frowned and then he went in to check on Ashley and he shook her foot and said, Ashley, baby, and she didn't respond. Ashley, he kept shaking her foot. Ashley, baby, and she didn't respond. So then he turned on the light and saw that she had been shot and he called 911.

Well, after that, Jill had to get Ashley's daughters out of the house. Eva was still so deeply asleep that Jill carried her out with her pillow and blanket. Alyssa was groggy and frightened. Neither girl knew their mother was dead. Later, Caleb sat between his daughters and told them what he said happened. Someone broke in the house and hurt mommy, and she's in heaven. The girls just started screaming and crying, and they were... crawling all over him, saying no, no daddy. What happened after Caleb took the girl's staff?

They cried and cried, and then, you know, after a few minutes of just screaming and crying, Alyssa just sat up on the side of the couch. And she said, 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. And then Ava said, Mommy's with her best friend, Jesus, in heaven. She always talked about her best friend, Jesus. And now she's with him in heaven.

And how did the family react to that? We just all cried. A few days later, Jill said the girls returned from a walk with Caleb, appearing nervous. And she said, Caleb wants to see the girls right away. And it's wonderful. You know, he's feeling better, and he wants to see them. So I said, come on, girls, we're going to go see Daddy.

And as soon as we got there, we left right away. As soon as we got there, Caleb, his dad and mom were grading in the driveway. And so Caleb took the girls and went on a walk. And Kim said to me, she said. Okay, under phone pausing there. What did Caleb say before he took the girls, if anything? No, I didn't hear him saying anything. And you said he took the girls on a walk?

Yes. Where did he go? I don't know. The girls told me he went. I took him the walk around the pond, but I didn't see that. Did you speak with, did you see the girls after the walk? Yes. How did they appear?

Nervous. And did you talk to them about that? Yes. Without telling you what they said. Yes. They did not, you know, we couldn't go back to their house. So they had no clothes, no shoes, no nothing. And we had, but friends had brought bags of clothes over.

So I took the oldest one up and we were trying to look through these bags to find something clean for them to wear to Isaiah's house. That's where Kim told me to take them. And so when I was just, getting one of them ready. Yeah, she told me she was very nervous. Who were you getting ready at that time? Alyssa.

What did you do about that? I asked her why she was nervous. And without telling me what she said, what did you do next? I marched her down to her dad and said, she's afraid to tell the truth. Tell her to tell the truth. What did he say? Of course, baby you're supposed to tell the truth. And then I got Ava and went up to stay.

with her. What did you do with the girls after they were ready? We put them in the car and we went straight to Isaiah's place. And how did the girls appear in the car without saying what they said? Super nervous. The reason was for going to Isaiah's place? Yes. What was that?

The detectives and children's services were going to question the girls. And after that there was no cross-examination. Next came Ashley's younger sister, Kamey's younger sister, Kame. Kayla Kite. Kayla also described Ashley as her best friend. They talked every day, saw each other several times a week, and as Kayla put it, essentially tag-teamed life. She also discussed Kayla's role in the Flynn family business. And you see, what was his role? Salesman. I was doing the bookkeeping? Yes. Were you aware of the defendant's income? Yes. And what was that? In 2025, it was around

$200,000. Were you aware of the future plans of the business? Yes, that was. Was the defendant aware of those plans? Yes. Well, so my dad was planning on retiring, and he talked with his financial advisor, and he joked that he read a book called Die for, and it was talking about how giving up a lot of the inheritance now while the kids are still here, that's what he wanted to do for us. So the plan was literally just to give us the business. We had a meeting with the finance advisor in August of last year. And he talked about that, you know, through tears in his eyes, just talked about I want to give you guys this business as a gift now so that you can enjoy life like we have been able to enjoy life. and I'm not asking for anything in return

except a consulting fee over the next years. Ms. Kite, was the defendant aware of these plans? Yes, he was, we were, it was Ashley and I and Matthew and Caleb and my dad, mom in the room

was a financial advisor. And the plan was to give the business to, the financial advisor wanted to keep the business in the family, the blood. And so Ashie and I were going to be 50-50 owners. And what was Ashley's rule in the company? She was going to be the social media director and sales coordinator.

At that time, did she have much involvement in the company? Just a couple weeks, probably a month. Were you aware of the future projections of the company? Yes. Was the defendant aware of those? Yes. And how so? So after, you know, I am a numbers girl.

And I walked away being like, I have to make sure, you know, Caleb and Matthew, we know what kind of gift we're getting. So with them being employees, they did not see the numbers. I saw the numbers more just because I helped my dad with tax projections. And so I pulled the past, I don't know, four or five tax returns, and I put together a spreadsheet of some projections. and I presented it to Caleb and Matthew one day in the office. And so, yes, so I showed them what could potentially be in the future if sales continued to increase. However, you know, I made it very clear that it was, you know, in the past was three salesmen, and it was only going to two, so we would all have to continue to sell whatever.

but we were showing, I was showing them what kind of projections was available in the future if we kept going up. And what were the projections for the next year that you presented to the defendant? Yeah, so I took, yeah, so I took some numbers and I took the structure that dad was going to gift us, and I was showing, again, I said,

boys in the future, if it continued to grow, you could make upwards of, you know, up to $300,000 if we keep going that way. You're told the defendant that? Yes. And I remember Matthew, you know, like we looked back because Caleb was behind us and we were like, are you seeing these numbers because we were getting excited about the future of what the possibility was? And because he wasn't saying much and he just said, yes, yes, I see him.

And then, yeah. Before Ashley died, Kayla said she loved Caleb. She said, he was family. I called him my brother. That relationship is important because after Ashley was killed, Kayla initially believed Caleb completely. She believed him. She arrived at our parents' house shortly after he told the girls their mother was found

dead and found them climbing over their father, absolutely sobbing. She said it was one of the moments that she will never forget. Caleb gave Kayla essentially the same account that he had given to jail her mother, that he had been coughing, slept separately from Ashley, heard the dogs, checked the girls, climbed into Ava's bed, and then heard a loud noise that almost paralyzed him. He eventually entered the bedroom, touched Ashley's toes, and asked,

Ash, are you okay? And then he turned on the light. Kayla remembered Caleb crying as he told her, I will never forget what I saw. But there were pieces of Caleb's story that Kayla could not understand. What stuck out about that to you this thing? But, you know, we loved Caleb so much. We didn't question anything. I did know that they had, you know, even Alyssa, had some.

coughs or whatever, like I knew the cough was going around so that that didn't really, that part didn't phase me, but the going to sleep in with the girls, that seemed odd to me because I had never heard him doing that before. But then the second part was, how did he not, I just remember being like, how did you not see the intruder running out of Ashley's room when you, when you came in to the room? And so I kind of asked that, I don't remember at that point, but I know I asked him at a later time. But then the second thing I thought of is, what in the world? This is Tip City, Ohio.

No one is targeted. And I said, and I remember being like, if this person who killed Ashley was a psychopath, why did he not just come in and chew all of you? I remember thinking that, like, it just didn't make sense that Ashley herself was targeted. And then we said, was anything taken? And he was like, no. So it was just, we could not recognize. our heads around it. Yeah, I just couldn't figure out who would do that to Ash.

But regardless of all of it, she still believed him and believed a killer was on the loose. Kayla and her husband barricaded their home, installed cameras, and had neighbors patrol their street because she was afraid that whoever murdered Ashley might come for her next. And when Caleb began worrying that police suspected him, he told Kayla, quote, they are going to take both of my kids' parents away. Caleb reassured him that investigators would find the real killer. And even after Caleb was arrested, she told the FBI that she believed they had the wrong man.

She said, quote, I trusted Caleb with everything I had in me. She even became angry when she heard rumors that Caleb had been having an affair. Ben investigators told her that it was absolutely true and that the other woman was Aaliyah, someone their family knew and someone their family knew from church. She said, quote, I couldn't even fathom even the thought that it would happen, end quote. So as Caleb previously explained, Caleb had a lucrative career in the family business. He was already earning around $200,000 a year with the potential to eventually earn considerably more. Well, the defense used that to make an important point, though, that Caleb had a significant financial incentive to preserve his relationship with Ashley's family, not destroy it.

Kayla also testified that Ashley's daughters eventually learned about the affair. What observations did you make when you told the girls that dad was having an affair with Alea? They were mostly brokenhearted for money. Okay. And they were close to Ashley, yes. OK. And they still bring her up a conversation. Yes.

Every day. OK. And as far as the conversation about the affair, has the person who he was involved in, has that person been identified to the kids? Yes. OK. And have what was there?

reaction to knowing I'm assuming the kids knew her yes okay what was their reaction to understanding that there was an affair with someone that they personally knew they they were shocked they were upset for their bombing because they said she loved daddy more than anyone else in life. So why did Daddy not love her as much? And so, but when we told her then who it was, the oldest said, I'm not surprised. Next came Kayla's husband, Matthew Kite, Ashley's brother-in-law, and one of Caleb's closest friends. Matthew had known Caleb since college. They worked together, vacationed together, and talked almost every day. When Ashley was murdered, Matthew's instinct was not

suspicion. It was to support his friend. He said, I just wanted to be near him. I mean, his wife had just been killed. When Caleb worried police were targeting him and his daughters could lose both parents, Matthew reassured him that they were not going to let that happen. Caleb even emailed about work arrangements during those first days, and Matthew responded, I've got this. I love you. There was no cross-examination. And then Ashley's father, Todd Smith, took the stand. He said, quote, if God gave two perfect daughters, I had both of them, end quote. Todd described Ashley as funny, encouraging in someone who simply did not speak badly about people. He said the last thing she ever did was talk bad about anybody. And that included her husband, Caleb.

Todd had treated him like family for nearly 17 years. They vacationed together, went on mission trip. together and eventually worked side by side in Todd's company. Todd was roughly 16 hours away on a snowmobiling trip in Canada when Jill called around three in the morning. She told him that Ashley had been murdered in her bed. Todd immediately began the drive home. He called it the longest ride of my life. For roughly 15 hours, he sat in that vehicle trying to understand what had happened and he could not. Make the story make sense. He said nothing in that story made sense to me. What did you do during that far right? I called Jill to tell me a hundred times just to see what in the world's going on. And then she started to tell me the story of what happened. And I said that I mean all I could

think about it, nothing in that story means sense to me. Nothing makes sense to me. Why would somebody break in, go in and get into the truck, go walk in there, shoot my daughter, and then run out.

It was a burly wild thing going around the whole house. And then your mind gets to run on a 15-hour trip, so I'm thinking, wow, I said, how it didn't make sense is those dogs and they normally sleep in there

with Ashley and Caleb when we pull up to the house they are barking and going crazy and then when you get in the house they're going crazy and we're having fun and jumping but I thought how in the world I always thought that those dogs would be one of the

best defenses about against anything in that house because they were you could be in cul-de-sacin almost that starting to bark. And I thought, how in the world did that happen? And those dogs not go bananas. And it just didn't make sense. Nothing of that made sense to me. And then I even Googled. I said, can a Christian man snap and shoot his wife and kill his wife? I'd get a Google on that because I thought, hmm. And then I called Jill one.

the calls and I said, hey, I said, I don't, nothing makes sense. I said, this really doesn't look good on Caleb. And she said, don't even go there. And at that time, I had to suppress it and truly forget it because my wife's well-being worth way more than any feeling or thoughts that I had. I didn't want to put her through anything else. So I was sorry, I can set it to her. What time did you ultimately arrive home? When he arrived around 7ish, something like that. When he arrived home, finally, Monday evening, Caleb was crying and repeatedly told him, I am sorry, I am so sorry.

But Todd testified that Caleb never actually told him what had happened to Ashley. There was no cross-examination. And from there, the testimony shifted back to the investigation. Captain Tony Smith testified that Caleb and Ashley had roughly $84,000 in joint savings and that Ashley had a $100,000 life insurance policy owned by Caleb with Caleb as the sole beneficiary. Investigators also found recurring charges for an Instagram monitoring service called Snoop Report, although the state did not establish whose Instagram account was being monitored. Smith said investigators received numerous tips after Ashley's murder,

but none were ultimately substantiated. The defense also established that about a month before the murder, Alia, Caleb's mistress, work laptop went missing during a Florida trip and her cell phone was dropped in water. Neither device was recovered. The jury then heard about yet another unsuccessful search for the murder weapon. ATF agent David McMullen and a firearm detection canine searched the house, garage, yard, surrounding woods, and other potential areas over two days.

Again, they found nothing. The DNA evidence was similarly important for both what it showed and what it cannot show. Caleb's DNA was found in several unsurprising places around his own home and truck. And more notable was a sample from around the master bedroom light switch, which had tested presumptively positive for blood and produced a single source DNA profile consistent with Caleb. Ashley and the other tested family members were excluded. But the defense established a critical limitation. DNA cannot tell time. Investigators could not determine when Caleb's DNA was deposited there.

And the presumptive blood stain found inside Caleb's shorts contained Caleb's DNA, not Ashley's. The state emphasized that none of the usable DNA profiles identified an unknown outsider, but that wasn't the same as proving that an outsider had never been there. Some samples produced no usable profile or contained DNA that couldn't be interpreted, and testimony established that gloves can prevent DNA transfer while water and environmental exposure can degrade it. So the DNA evidence didn't identify an intruder, but it couldn't,

completely rule one out either. Ballistics established that the two nine-millimeter casings were fired from the same gun and that the recovered bullets and fragments also came from the same firearm. But without the gun itself, investigators could not make a match. The markings could not identify a particular make or a particular model and a list of potentially compatible firearm stretched roughly 50 pages. A Springfield was among the possibilities, but it was far from the only one. Investigators also identified several fingerprints and palm prints belonging to Caleb inside the house and vehicles. But again, the defense emphasized that fingerprints cannot be dated and there was nothing inherently unusual about finding Caleb's prints on his own property.

And finally, the state called next door neighbor Kim Bingaman. She heard nothing. unusual that night. Ashley was killed, and neither did her three dogs, including two very vocal corgi sleeping in her bedroom. Her three motion-activated surveillance cameras also captured nothing unusual. In February 2026, did you have three dogs? Yes. Where would your dogs have the night evening of February 16th? In the master bedroom with me. For early morning. Yes. My son, sorry, thank you. Did your dogs alert you to anything? No. Would they typically? Yes.

Can you describe for the jury how your dogs typically behave? I have two corgis and they are very vocal. Can you stay in your bedroom? Yes. We already talked about the surveillance at the Flynn residence. What type of surveillance do you have at your residence? At the time of the in your residence? of the incident on February 16th we had three cameras. Where were those positions?

One at the front door, one at the garage door and then there is the side ship. And how do those cameras function? How did they function at that time? I don't understand what you mean. Would your cameras record, could you only watch them live or would they record events? No, they would record. Were they motion detected? Is that fair to say? Yes. And on the early morning of February 16th, the evening of February 15th, did your cameras capture anything out of the ordinary?

No. Did they capture any activity? No. And you stated once you woke up the morning of February 16th, there was a large presence outside your house. Yes. Did you speak with anyone at that time? Yes, because I immediately went outside. I thought I've seen the Smith's tell you ride

and I could tell something was going on. And I went out there and a detective stopped me and I stopped and talked to the detective. Bingaman had previously noticed a camera near the Flynn's front door, but she didn't know whether it was actually functioning that night. And on cross-examination, she acknowledged that police had not tested exactly what kind of movement would have been necessary to trigger her own cameras. And that brought day three to an end.

Day four is where things really start to get interesting, because eventually we're going to hear from the most anticipated witness in this trial. Aaliyah Botner, the woman that Kayla, Flynn was having an affair with. But first, the state had several law enforcement witnesses to get through, and much of their testimony centered on two things that we have already heard quite a bit about, the garage door and the missing gun. Detective Brad Klein arrived at the Flynn home around 345 in the morning. Ashley was killed, and like investigators before him, the garage door immediately raised questions. The damage was primarily on the inside of the garage and based on

declined experience with forced doors, he did not believe it looked consistent with someone breaking in from the outside. Lieutenant Jason Moore told the jury essentially the same thing about the door. He saw no significant damage on the exterior, nothing suggesting that someone had kicked, shouldered, or pried their way inside. Instead, the significant damage was on the interior portion of the frame. And Moore made an important observation when the garage door was closed. That damage wasn't even visible. In his opinion, the door would have needed to be open when that particular damage occurred. Moore also described just how extensive the search was for the missing gun and how extensive it continued to become. Officers searched the house, the garage, the yard,

the landscaping, nearby field, and a bike path. They use metal detectors, magnets, and sewer drains and even cameras inside ground hog holds. Multiple agencies eventually formed gridlines and searched the surrounding woods. More estimated that his team alone spent at least 15 hours searching and still no gun, no murder weapon. And now the defense made a fair point here. Investigators were continuing these searches because they had not completely ruled out Caleb's story that an intruder fled the house. So the repeated searches themselves do not prove police believe that Caleb hid the weapon, but by now the jury had heard the same concern from multiple experienced investigators, that the physical damage to the garage door did not look like the aftermath of someone

forcing their way into the home. And then Detective Zach Farkas brought us to the person who is about to become extremely important. Alia Botner. Investigators learned about Aaliyah while following up with Ashley's friends. And after interviewing her, Farkas checked surveillance cameras near the home where Aaliyah said she had been house-sitting the night of the murder. A ring camera across the street showed Aaliyah's vehicle arriving shortly after midnight and leaving around 10 the next morning. And although the camera was motion-activated rather than continuous,

the defense emphasized that those limitations, Farkas said the footage that they recovered, was consistent with Alia's account that she remained there overnight. And then on February 16th, we have her vehicle. We're turning back to that location at just after midnight on February 16th. We then have her vehicle. Then the vehicle, when it pulls into that residence, pulls directly into the garage, and then it appears that the garage door closes.

The other video that we have is from just after, I believe, 10 a.m. on February 16th, we have her vehicle leaving the garage and then driving out of the driveway out towards where the main drive is to come and go from that platform. What other videos were present from that neighbors home at 1521 during that time period? So we were able to see that there was additional video of cars driving by the house for individuals. walking by that activated the camera, but at her point, did we see Ms. Botner's vehicle leading that residence? And how was that information you discovered consistent with what Ms. Botner told you during that interview? She was consistent with the timeframes that Ms. Botner had provided to us on when she had come and gone from that residence. And while we were all waiting for more from Alia and more will come, next came FBI Special Agent Sarah.

Dean Ron. And she examined the garage door and reached essentially the same conclusion as the others. After seeing roughly 75 forced doors during her career, this one did not look right. There was little indication of forced entry from the outside, while gouges and wood debris were found on the garage side of the frame. So when I looked at the door frame itself, several things stood out. The strike plate that affixes to the door where the dead bolt would turn in was not fixed to the door. I had later been informed by BCI and through photos that that had been discovered

outside of the residence on the ground near I think a trash can. But looking at the locking mechanism itself, there appeared to be what I would describe as gouge marks near the deadbolt

where the deadbolt would have fixed to the door. What was interesting about the marks, based off of my training and experience of observing doors that have been kicked in was the trim itself was affixed with trim nails. And typically when a door is forced open, the trim will be pushed in or separate slightly from the door.

And in this instance, when I looked at the trim, there were gouge marks also on site on the trim. And the gouge marks were inside of the garage, on the portion of the frame in the garage when you would exit. So they weren't on the outside. outside portion of the door. So that stood out as significant to me. Also what I noted while looking at the frame, the garage floor inside of the garage, there appeared to be several wood chips that appeared as though they had come from the frame itself where the marks had been made.

During your 15 years in law enforcement, how many doors have you observed that were forced to probably open? Approximately 75. And how is the damage you observed on County Hand Court consistent? with the doors you'd seen that you know were probably was forced open. It wasn't consistent, in my opinion. Did you conduct a search of the exterior property and adjoining properties? I did. How was that search conducted? We conducted a grid pattern search of the backyard,

standing shoulder to shoulder walking together to ensure that we covered the entire backyard to ensure there was no evidence that had been overlooked. We also searched the wood line. to the left of the residence and around. That was the extent of my searching outside. But Dean Ron added something new as well. Investigators collected more than 70 tools from the Flynn home and sent them along with the door to the FBI laboratory.

And one tool attracted particular attention, a claw hammer from the workbench in Caleb's garage. That brings us to FBI forensic examiner Sarah Stuchel, who actually performed the toolmark. analysis. So Sarah found that the size and general shape of the hammer's claws were consistent with a mark on a broken piece of the door frame. But, and this is important, the FBI could not identify that hammer as the tool that damaged the door. The official result was inconclusive. The mark lacked the microscopic individual characteristics necessary to make an identification,

and Stutel acknowledged that any claw hammer with the same measurements, could potentially be considered consistent with it. So the state did not have scientific proof that Caleb's hammer was used to stage a break-in. What they did have, though, was a hammer from his garage that could have produced a similarly size and shaped mark. And toolmark analysis could not tell them who used it anyway. But arguably, the more important part of Agent Demeron's testimony had nothing to do with it, or it was about Alia, right?

Demeron and Detective Farkas found her at her mother's house on February 20th and asked her to come to the police department. She agreed. And then what did she do? She lied to them. According to Damron, Alia initially denied having a sexual or intimate relationship with Caleb. Well, the problem was investigators already had reason to suspect otherwise. Ashley had apparently confided in a friend about possible infidelity, and investigators had found a message on Ashley's phone suggesting tension between her and Alia. So eventually, during that roughly two and a half hour interview, Alia started admitting more about the relationship. Six days later, she returned with an attorney,

and Demeron said that she was far more truthful. Was Alia truthful during your interview with her on February 20? 2026? O'EVA originally was not truthful during the initial portion of our interview. However, during the course of the interview, Alia did describe the relationship with Gaila Plain. When did you conduct a second interview with O'Leah Botner? On the 26th.

Who was present during that second interview? Detective Farkas, myself, O'Lea Botner, and her attorney. Where was that interview conducted? In the same room at the Tip City Police Department in one of their interview rooms. How would you compare her truthfulness during the second interview compared to the first? Alia was far more truthful at that point in time she came in and all questions she answered North right and without us having to go back and ask additional questions. Was she more truthful about her relationship with Caleb Flynn during the interview on February 26,

2026? She was. The defense also established another interesting detail. Alia had obtained a burner phone, and she had not disclosed that during the first interview. So before Alia ever walked into the courtroom, the jury had already a reason to scrutinize every word that she was about to say. And with that groundwork laid, the state finally called Alia Botner to the stand. Now, Alia is 24 years old now, and she lives in North Carolina. One detail about her background immediately jumped out of me. She attended Highlands College for Worship Ministry and earned an associate's degree

because, of course, this entire relationship began through church. Alia met Caleb at Christian Life Center or CLC in the summer of 22. So how old does that make her? She was 20 years old. Caleb was around 36 or 37 years old. She was interning then under the worship leader, and Caleb volunteered on the worship team. Alia said that she initially didn't know that he was married because he didn't wear his wedding ring. But she eventually found out, and she knew Ashley and she knew Caleb had two daughters.

Their relationship stayed professional until March of 2024, shortly after Alia ended, a relationship with another man on the worship team. Caleb started texting her more, giving her more attention, and eventually asking if he could come over just to hug her. The prosecutor asked the obvious question. You knew he was married when you let him come over. She said, I did. And according to Alia, Caleb soon admitted he had feelings for her and began telling her that Ashley had cheated on him in the past,

that he hated his wife, viewed her essentially as a roommate, and only stayed because of their daughters. Caleb supposedly claimed a neighbor had witnessed Ashley cheating, but Alia admitted that he never actually showed her proof of that. By May, Caleb and Alia were having sex, and when prosecutors asked how she morally justified sleeping with a married man, Alia admitted it was completely wrong, and I shouldn't have.

She said that she initially resisted, but Caleb kept pursuing her until, in her words, it just started with little things and then it grew like cancer. Caleb expressed what he had feelings for me, and he said that the reason why he thinks it's okay to have those feelings is because his wife cheated on him two years before 2024. He told me that she cheated on him. And he told me that he only sees her as a roommate,

that the only time they ever talk is from picking the girls up from school, dropping them off, he told me that he hates her. He told me the only reason why he's still with her is because of the girls. And that he lost his chance to divorce her because it's already been two years since it's happened

and he was feeding me all about. When did your relationship with the defendant become sexual? So, I believe it was May of 2024. May of 2024? Yes. You could just keep your voice up a little bit.

That'd be great. That's okay. If you knew the defendant was married, how did you morally justify a sexual relationship with the defendant? It was completely wrong, and I shouldn't have. But I think him telling me that she cheated on him, and they're just living his roommates. at first I was strong

and I said this isn't okay we shouldn't do this I still care about you but you know you're married and then he kept pursuing

and it just started with little things and then it grew like cancer and I found myself in a place I never thought it would be so I never morally justified it

I just did it even while I knew it was wrong how long did the two you remain in a sexual relationship about a year now And I appreciate someone admitting when they were wrong, but this wasn't one terrible decision followed by immediate remorse. The affair lasted roughly a year and a half. Aaliyah knew Ashley. She knew there were children involved. And whatever Caleb told her about

his supposedly miserable marriage, he was still married. There was a saying, God will never send you someone else's husband. And if Caleb's marriage was truly, over, there was a pretty straightforward first step available to him. He could end the marriage. He could divorce his wife, but he didn't. And Alia didn't walk away either. Instead, the relationship became serious enough that Alia wanted to marry him. She sent Caleb a picture of her hand with a ring drawn on her finger while they talked about him becoming her husband. She even wanted to meet his family. So she and Caleb orchestrated an accidental encounter with his mother. at Kroger. Meanwhile, Caleb repeatedly promised that he would leave Ashley, and by late

2025, those promises had become deadlines. October, November, December, possibly January. Aaliyah estimated four or five months came and went, and Caleb remained married. The prosecutor eventually asked what had changed between the beginning of their affair and February 16th that suddenly made leaving Ashley impossible. And Aliyah's first answer was chilling. She said, quote, because she's dead. The prosecutor clarified, well, before Ashley died, what had changed? And she said nothing. And while Caleb wasn't leaving his marriage, the two of them were getting increasingly sophisticated about hiding the affair. They moved from IMessage to WhatsApp because IMessage was too obvious. And after Ashley discovered messages on Caleb's iPad, including that picture of

Aaliyah's imaginary engagement ring, they switched to group me because Caleb already used it for pickleball and therefore had an innocent reason to have the app. We also communicated through Instagram and exchanged sexual photographs. That distinction matters to me. This wasn't just two people who developed inappropriate feelings and didn't know what to do with them. They were actively changing platforms to make the affair harder for Ashley to discover. And the sheer volume was staggering. Roughly, 107,000 group me messages in about a year, nearly 300 a day. And that was only one platform. They also spoke by phone, exchanged pictures and videos almost daily and generally saw each other at least once a week. And they routinely deleted their conversations. We

would delete messages every day, Aaliyah testified. Eventually, she said she was even advising Caleb about how to delete information from his devices, which becomes important later. Their relationship extended well beyond texting. They genuinely met at Aaliyah's apartment, although they also had sexual encounters in Caleb's truck, including a Chipotle parking lot. For actual dates, they traveled out of town where they were less likely to be recognized. And when Ashley left during the summer to work at a children's Bible camp, Caleb stayed overnight with Alia. They had a name for those stretches of time.

Their marriage weeks. Yeah. Remember the two of you referring to those as your marriage weeks? Yes. How often would you see each other those weeks? Every day. Where would you often meet during the day to engage in sexual conduct? My apartment?

One place was the parking lot, Chipotle, in Van Dalio. How often were you intimate at CLC? Never. How often were you in his truck? Not, not often. When you would meet at Chipotle to engage you sexual conduct, where would that take place? In his truck. I'm sorry, but the audacity of that one is

breathtaking marriage weeks. Your married boyfriend's wife leaves to work at a children's Bible camp. So you use the opportunity to play house with her husband and call it your marriage week. Again, these two met through church. They even got matching Harry Potter lightning bolt tattoos. How sophisticated. Alia put hers on her arm. Caleb put his in his armpit. because according to her, he did not want Ashley to see the tattoo. There is something almost perfectly symbolic about commemorating your relationship with a matching tattoo and then hiding that in your armpit because your entire relationship has to stay hidden from your wife.

But Alia also knew about something considerably more important, the gun in Caleb's truck. She testified that Caleb once showed her a gun inside the center console of his Ford F1 15th. and specifically told her that was where he kept it. She couldn't describe it in detail, but her testimony placed a firearm in the same location. Investigators say Caleb normally stored the handgun that was missing after Ashley's murder. Alia also described Caleb as intensely jealous and invasive. She said that he routinely went through her phone

and believed he was repeatedly accessing her Instagram account. There were even times, she said, when she would be on stage singing at church while Caleb went through the phone that she had left in her office. By December 2025, Alia said that she finally ended the affair. And then just weeks before Ashley's murder, she took a solo trip to Clearwater, Florida, where she accidentally dropped her phone into the ocean. She recovered it, but the screen was essentially destroyed, and on the way home, she also accidentally left her work laptop behind, possibly on the airplane.

So shortly before Ashley was murdered, the phone Alia had used throughout this secret relationship was destroyed in the ocean, and her work laptops disappeared during a flight. Do you take a trip to Clearwater, Florida in January of 2026? Yes. When does that trip? January 22nd. the 24th. Who went with you? Just me and my dog. Where did you stay? I stayed in Camelot Beach

Suites about 10 minutes from the beach. What did you do while you were there? It was kind of just a solo getaway trip just a same time alone and with my dog it was after Caleb and I had ended things I just needed to kind of get away and have time to my dog. myself, just a small three-day trip. That was it. When did you and Caleb end this? Officially, I ended things beginning of December. What did you do with your dog while you were in clear water? We went to the beach. I took him on walks. I brought him to coffee shops.

I hung out at the hotel, watched movies. That's about, that's about sunset up. Did you rent a kayak? Yes. Where did you do that? I don't remember the name of the kayak place, but it was about 15 to 20 minutes from my hotel. And you say 15 to 20 minutes is that driving? It's what?

Walking distance, yes. What happened when you were getting out of the kayak? As I was getting out of the kayak, my phone slipped out and fell into the ocean. And would you do that? I waited for a second I was contemplating whether I wanted to jump in in my clothes or leave it in there and then I did I went in and got it

and what was the condition of the phone when you were able to retrieve it? It was just a white screen and I took it back to my hotel tried to charge it and it just continued to be a white screen how deep was the water where you dropped it? Shoulder level. How did you get to Clearwater Beach? I flyed, I flew from Cincinnati to Houston, Texas, to Tampa.

And how did you get back? From the Tampa Airport to the Cincinnati Airport. And what did you realize you lost when you got back? My laptop. My work laptop. Can you tell the jury how you lost the laptop? Yes. I lost a lot. I genuinely, it was completely innocent.

I do these things a lot. anyone who knows me knows that I lose things and I ran the gas I forget things all the time so I remember putting my luggage on the overhead wherever you put your luggage on the airplane and I think I put my laptop under my book bag and so as I was leaving I must have just forgot it on the plane I did file a claim to frontier and also Tampa Airways airport and the Cincinnati airport just in case I didn't remember where I left it to see if they could find it and that they couldn't find it. When did you realize you lost it? When I got home, when I got home. Where were you living at the time?

I was living. It was either my Troy apartment or, it was my Troy apartment. And where was that in Troy? It was. right across from special effects on Franklin Street. Whether you find that completely innocent or spectacularly convenient, I'll leave that one for you. Four days after Ashley was murdered, the FBI came looking for Alia.

And she lied. She lied about the affair entirely. Why did you lie in the FBI during that first interview? I was selfishly afraid that my reputation was going to be ruined and that I was going to lose my job. And now that there was a murder attached, I didn't want to be attached to that in any way. So I was unfortunately just trying to

save myself from my reputation being ruined and putting losing my job. What caused you to tell more of the truth that had? They told me they found text messages on Ashley's phone. Text messages between them? Her and a friend. What is your instance? Instagram account.

Aalya Botner. During your relationship with the defendant, what abnormal activity did you notice with your Instagram account? I noticed that someone kept hacking into my Instagram, so on my email, I kept getting alerts that someone was hacking into it, and it was always a Tip City location.

And also, somebody was liking a lot of pictures on different people's profiles that I wasn't liking, such as guys that Caleb thought that I had feelings for. That credibility problem is pretty important. Before we even get to the most damaging things that Alia says, Caleb told her, this is a witness who admits she knowingly carried on a lengthy affair with a married man, helped conceal it from his wife, routinely deleted their communications, lost two devices shortly before the murder, and then

initially lied to the FBI about the relationship. Today, Alia says she feels very differently about Caleb. The prosecutor asked how she feels about him now, and she said, I hate him. Why? She's asked. Well, because I believe that he murdered his wife. And that's where her testimony gets considerably darker. According to Alia, Caleb talked negatively about Ashley almost every day, and she admitted that she participated. But Alia testified that Caleb eventually went far beyond insults. At least weekly, she said that he expressed some version of wanting Ashley gone. Approximately once a month, he talked about wanting his wife dead. Describe the nature of those expressions?

He would say that he hated her, that he wanted her dead. He would say so many awful things along the lands of hating her and wanting her dead is kind of the same thing. Who else said awful things about Ashley in those communications? I also said awful things about Ashley. What names would he use to refer to Ashley? When we first met, he said that she was in. worthy of being called her first name, so he said

that we're going to refer to her as douchebag. What other names would he use to refer to her? The what, I'm sorry? The B word. What word is that? Bitch.

What else? I'd call her a whore, a slut, spawn of Satan. What names would you use to refer to Ashley? Used most of those same names. How often would you see each other in person? The same thing's. discuss over text messages like.

Alia described a progression. The comments went from, I want her dead and I wish she was gone to Caleb eventually saying that if he could kill Ashley without going to jail, he would. He told Alia that he stayed up late thinking about ways that he

could kill his wife. Now, Alia has serious credibility baggage. She lied to the FBI and the jury has to decide how much of her testimony they believe. But investigators also recovered the messages. And now the jury could see Caleb's words for themselves. In August 2025, Caleb and Ashley went on their 15th anniversary cruise. Alia was furious because

Caleb had apparently promised that he would get out of going on this trip. But during the trip, Ashley discovered that Caleb was communicating with Alia and eventually asked Alia to meet for coffee with her. How did that cruise? I'm sorry, what happened while he was on that cruise? Actually, found messages, saw him texting me. And what did you receive from Ashley? A text message. About what? Say something along the lines up. I'm thoroughly confused. We need to have a sit down when I get home. I saw text messages between you and Caleb. What did she attempt to arrange with you after she got him back from the cruise? coffee. Did that ever happen? No. Why not? I was, I didn't think I could face her knowing that.

I was having a relationship with her husband. I didn't think I could impose myself for that. So how did you get out of leading up with her for coffee? I told her I was really busy. How did you feel about the defendant going on an anniversary cruise with Ashley? it really hurt me at the time. Did you communicate those feelings to the defendant? I did. And that part bothers me. Alia could call this woman horrific names behind her back sleep with her husband for more than a year and talk about marrying him.

But when Ashley, the actual wife, asked her to sit across from her face to face, suddenly, Alia could not do it. After the cruise, the jury heard Caleb's own voice in an audio message. to Alea. Hey, I don't know if this will go through services horrible, but I wanted to send you this as text messaging just is horrible. I'm sorry. And I assumed wrong. And like I just texted, I don't know if you got it this week.

a lot like what we used to be. And I'm sorry I assumed anything. You are more than free and able and have every right to do what you want. And I am sorry. I, you know more than anybody that I love as hard as I know how and super protective. And I'm sorry. You're not wrong. You can do whatever the crap you want.

And that was wrong for going on a cruise. That was wrong for hurting you. And I'm literally crying in front of thousands of people that don't care. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for everything. and I hope you have a great day today. Please do not, not that you're worrying about me, but I don't feel the need of text.

I know I yet again have made things worse. It only comes out of just sheer, absolute, massive love for you. But until I can be released from her, I know that you do not have to do. anything. So I'm sorry. I'm going to text this to you and then I promise I'll delete everything. It may take a lot to go through just because of service here, but I do love you and I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. So I hope you have a great service and desire and love and passion for you. causes me just to lose it.

So I'm sorry. See you. Where was he when he sent that video to you? I think it was a Buckeyes game. Whose voice is in that recording? Caleb. And is that a fair and accurate copy of the recording you received from Caleb? Yes.

But Alia said that she was done waiting. She started giving Caleb deadlines or ultimatums to leave Ashley. He would promise he was going to do it. The deadline would arrive and nothing would change. Finally, Alia set January 11th, 2026 as the last deadline. Leave Ashley or she was moving on. But Caleb didn't leave. And this time, Alia says she followed through herself. From January 11th until Valentine's Day, she says they had no communication. Although Caleb attempted to contact her several times. One attempt was a song that he had written about their relationship. Life is now empty since the moment I lost you.

And don't worry, we'll get to hear that song later. But remember that timeline. Alia says she ended the relationship January 11th. Ashley was murdered just over one month later. On February 14th, Caleb reached out at church and said he needed to talk. They eventually sat down together in a month later. hallway at CLC where Alia says Caleb told her something that she had heard many times before. He was finally leaving Ashley.

According to Alia, Caleb claimed that he had already told Ashley he wanted a divorce and insisted that this time he was actually going through with it. Leah was skeptical. She asked whether he would still leave if there was no guarantee she would take him back and told Caleb that she had a date planned with another man. And according to Aaliyah, Caleb became upset and started crying. So look at where things stood two days before Ashley's murder. Alia had ended their affair.

She was preparing to date someone else. And after more than a year of broken promises, Caleb was suddenly insisting that this time he really was leaving his wife. And Alia said Caleb was very specific about when, February 16th. That morning, he supposedly planned to speak with Ashley's parents, then his daughters, find another job, book a hotel, and begin moving his belongings out. February 16th was supposed to be the day Caleb ended his marriage. Instead, in the early morning hours of February 16th, Ashley was shot to death in their bedroom.

That timing is impossible to ignore, right? Caleb had just spent the weekend telling his mistress that February 16th was the day everything was finally going to change. And by the time that morning arrived, Ashley wasn't facing a divorce. She was dead in her own bed. Meanwhile, Caleb and Alia were discussing a separate phone that they could use to communicate without the affair appearing on Caleb's regular device. And eventually, they discussed Caleb buying a burner phone with cash and keeping it hidden. And then we get to the night before Ashley was murdered. Alia admitted that she was worried about what would happen if Caleb actually filed for divorce, not because of Ashley or the children, but because

Ashley might expose the affair, and Alia feared losing her reputation and her job. So she turned to chat GPT. She researched whether deleted messages could be recovered or subpoenaed, what Ashley would need to prove infidelity, whether cheating could affect custody, and whether, financial records like Venmo transactions could be obtained through discovery. Then she screenshotsed the information and sent it to Caleb. And I have to say, her priorities are hard to stomach. You're supposedly trying to leave this relationship behind, right? And live a life of purity.

But on the night before this man's wife is murdered, you're helping to figure out how much of the digital trail from your year and a half affair can be recovered because you're worried about what people might think of you. And this was a substantial trail. Again, more than 100,000 group me messages, financial transactions and messages that Ashley had already discovered once before. Because according to Alia, Caleb said he had wiped or reset the iPad where Ashley previously found their conversations

and planned to delete group me from his phone the following morning. Alia asked him to protect her reputation and job through the divorce. and according to Aaliyah, Caleb promised that he would protect her at all costs. Investigators also established Leah's whereabouts that night. She had dinner at her mother's house before driving to the home of CLC's lead pastor, where she was house-sitting. A neighbor's ring camera captured her vehicle entering the garage around 12, 14 a.m. and leaving around 9.57 that morning. Whose vehicle is that?

The white vehicle that's moving? Yes. What driveway are you pulling into? The Hansons. And when was this? 12.14 a.m. On what day? On February 16th.

About how long does it take for you to get from your mother's house in Tiff City to this residence in Bainte. Takes about 15. Is that a fair and accurate depiction of you pulling the vehicle into the garage? Yes. You were driving that vehicle? Yes. Who else was in the vehicle? Nobody.

Who's driving a vehicle that's moving in the video? Me. Whose vehicle is it? Mine. Who else is in the vehicle with you? Nobody. What time is this? This is...

I'm sorry, it's military time. That's okay. Go ahead and read the military time. On what date? On February 15th. Where were you going? when you left the residence. That's about 6.54 in the evening.

I'm sorry. I was confused about the military time. This was the... So I want to make sure I'm fully telling the trip. This was the 15th. So it's Sunday. So you said 6.54? It's like it says the 15th on my screen.

2.15 at approximately 6.54 p. The night before actually's murder. Shortly before seven. I was sent to my mom's. 16th, approximately 9.57 in the morning. Who's driving that vehicle? Me. Who's in the vehicle with you?

You left the residence before this time. Since you returned home shortly after midnight on the 15th and before, we'll call it 10 a.m. on the 16th? No, I didn't. Where are you going at this time? Going to the Smith's house. Who are the Smiths? Tom, Jill Smith, Ash.

parents. Later on the defense established that this wasn't continuous surveillance, and police never searched the house or her vehicle, so I wouldn't call it an airtight alibi. But the footage investigators obtained was consistent with Aaliyah's account that she remained there during the hours that Ashley was killed. Now put Sunday night together. According to Aaliyah, Caleb knew that she was moving on and planning to date someone else. He was telling her February 16th was finally the day he would leave Ashley. They were discussing a hidden burner phone. Why did the two of you have a discussion about the defendant getting a burner phone? It was his idea. He said that he thinks it'll be safer after the divorce if they try to search his phone if Ashley brings up the text messages between us.

It was his idea that it would probably be safer for after he says he's going to divorce her for us to contact each other on a different phone. Have you ever had a burner phone? I have. When? During the Clearwater Beach trip, after I dropped my phone into the water, my mom door dashed me a burner phone. Why does she door-dashed you a burner phone?

So that I could have the tickets to my flight, so that I could communicate with people, so that I could get an Uber to the airport. since my phone was broken, that was my link communicating to people. What did you do with your phone when you got back to the Dayton area? The broken one? Yes. I brought it to, I think it was the Troy Walmart phone repair store that was inside of Walmart. What was the purpose of that?

To fix my old phone. Were they able to fix your phone? No. What did you do? What did you do about the new phone? I still have the burner phone, but then the young adult pastors at CLC gave me their phone to borrow until I could get my own. What did you do with the burner phone? I still had it. I didn't throw it away.

What phone did you have when you met with the FBI? I have the one that the adult pastors saved me. I believe. Alia was also researching deleted messages, subpoenas, and financial records, and sending that information to Caleb. And Caleb's messages about the following morning were becoming increasingly dramatic. What time did your communications with the defendant end on the night of February 15, 2026? It was 12-something a year. What was the last thing he said to you that night? I think it was something like good night.

Tomorrow's a big day. I got to get to bed. Do you remember him saying, I choose you? Yes. And about to be free? Yes. How could you be free of Ashley if the defendant and he were going to co-parent their two young daughters during and after a divorce? I think you just met from the relationship.

When did you wake up on February 16th, 2026, the day of Ashley's murder? Around 8 a.m. When did you expect to hear from the defendant that day? first thing in the morning when did you learn about a crime at the Flynn residence I received a random direct message on Instagram from a random congregant

who goes to CLC and what did you learn from that message he said did you hear about Mrs. Flynn how did you respond I said what are you talking about and he sent me the news article about her death

What did you do at that time? My heart started pounding, and, you know, in my mind, it just seemed like too much of a coincidence that the day he's divorcing her, she's just dead all of a sudden. And so I think I called my boss, and I asked me if he's heard about it. He said he was at the Smiths along with other staff, and that I should come over there. Did you send any messages to the defendant?

I did, yes. What is you saying those messages? I said something like, kill of what's going on, were you involved? Is this real? Did he respond to those messages? No. Why did you delete that message you sent to the defendant on the morning of February 16th? Because I, since there was a baby surging his phone and if they saw any messages between us,

anywhere the affair would be found out. So even after learning Ashley had been killed, Aaliyah's instinct was to conceal her relationship with Ashley's husband. Still, still to conceal it. And this is where the testimony changes. Until now, much of this depended on Aaliyah's memory and credibility, but prosecutors had recovered 34 books containing roughly 107 group me messages. Now the jury could hear Caleb's words for themselves.

On February 11th, 2025, just over a year before the murder, he wrote about wanting a life with Alia. Quote, why can't it be you? Why couldn't I have met you and married you and had kids with you? Well, for starters, if he had met Alia before Ashley, Alia would have still been a minor. So there's that. But he also wrote, I need her to die, to cheat again, to leave, and quote. Yeah. Five days later, February 16th, 2025, exactly one year before Ashley was murdered,

Caleb wrote that he didn't want to be near home because, quote, one, I hate her, and two, I know it hurts you. Three days later, Alia asked, quote, what do you want me to do? And Caleb responds, marry me. And Alia responds, uh, no. Caleb's next. message, kill douche. Yeah. These were not isolated comments either. On March 2nd, Alia wrote, I hate her. And Kila responded, I hate her more. Days later, Alia wrote, I've never hated anyone like I do her. And Kila responded, I'm sorry what she does to both of us, but mostly you. I hate her as well. And I want her gone. So Alia wasn't some innocent bystander watching Caleb viciously trash is why.

She fed into it. She called Ashley's Ashley names and she hated her and resented Ashley for existing inside a marriage that Alia wanted for herself. And yet again, just remember, that she couldn't even sit in front of Ashley for coffee when asked. But she sure had a lot to say about her behind the scenes. Eventually, Caleb wrote, I want you, Leah as my wife and the mother of my kids. But what do I do? How do I escape this? And Alia responded, I don't know, Caleb, you have to find a way. Caleb's next message, I want her dead and gone. And that word, escape is important. Caleb repeatedly describes himself as trapped between the life

he had with Ashley and the life he wanted with Alia. And his hatred of Ashley almost became reassurance for his mistress. I love you. I hate her. I don't touch her. I stay away from her. Degrading Ashley had practically become a love language between them. On March 24th, Aaliyah realized that Caleb had been crying and asked, what can I do? And his answer, kill her. Yeah, there it is again. Not help me figure out a divorce, not help me get through this. kill her. And at some point, how many times can someone express essentially the same thought before we're no longer talking about one random, terrible joke? In another exchange, Caleb wrote, I'm sorry, gosh, I'm sorry, I want her dead and gone. And Alia responded,

I've never wished that upon someone, but have more than ever with her. Yeah. And then, this affirms me so much. And I love you, Caleb. I just want you all to myself. Caleb responded, I want all of you and not have to worry about sneaking around. That exchange is appalling. What exactly was affirming your married boyfriend telling you that he wants his wife dead and gone? Alia's response wasn't horror. It wasn't, don't ever say that again. It was essentially, I wished it too. I don't know what kind of alternative reality you have to build in your head to sleep with another woman's husband and then decide she's the one ruining your life. But these two apparently managed it. And yes, Caleb continued claiming Ashley had cheated on him. But at one point,

he actually wrote that he was thankful for Ashley's alleged infidelity because it allowed me to be with you. So the same alleged betrayal he used to justify hating Ashley's, Ashley was apparently also something he appreciated because it gave him permission to his own affair. So convenient. By May the language escalated again, May 16th. If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat, and quote. Two days later, I hate her, loathe her, I want her dad. And then in June, Alia told Caleb, I need you.

Caleb responded, please hire someone to take douche out. I need you in my life. And Alia responded, so tempting. I can't live without you. And I've had this thought so often lately. How do we figure this out? Caleb, we have to get rid of douche. I need you. You're my everything. Alia, I don't even want to say this in a joking way anymore. We need a solution, Caleb. We need it to be me and you forever and no exceptions. Caleb's response? I've never joked about it. And that exchange is important, right? Because now we're well beyond one horrible statement made in anger. Caleb is talking about somebody taking out his wife, literally. Alia calls the idea so tempting. and says she's thought about it often. And when she says she doesn't even want to joke about it anymore, Caleb tells her he has never been joking, so much for figurative language.

And somehow mixed into conversations like these, they were still talking about their faith. Caleb said that they needed a yes from Jesus. I'm sorry, but I don't even know what to do with that. You're carrying on an affair with somebody else's spouse while discussing his wife disappearing and simultaneously waiting for Jesus to co-sign the relationship. I feel fairly confident that's not how any of this works. By July, Alia's own language became even more explicit.

Caleb, unless we figure out a way to make douche disappear, you need to move on. And days later, Alia texts, douche needs to go. Caleb, please take her out. And on July 10th, Alia herself wrote, I want to kill her, Caleb. And then it's so bad. Caleb responds, that makes two of us. At the end of July, Caleb sent Alia a remarkably self-aware message. He admitted he had spent 16 months trying to control and manufacture a way for them to be together.

He said, I've eliminated the Lord from every possible area of my life as I knew. if I let him lead, it would mean letting go of you." And quote, so for a moment, Caleb claimed he was finally going to stop trying to control everything. But that resolve didn't last long. Days later, Caleb and Ashley left for their 15th anniversary cruise and Alia was furious. Caleb reassured his mistress that he wouldn't enjoy it, wouldn't have sex with Ashley, wouldn't touch her, and that he still hated her.

After the cruise, Ashley discovered enough of their communication. that she wanted to meet Alia face to face. And suddenly, Caleb became very interested in what evidence his wife could recover. On August 19th, the day before Alia was supposed to meet Ashley, Caleb sent her instructions for finding the recently deleted folder on an iPhone and permanently erasing deleted messages. He also told Alia what he had already told Ashley about their communication, essentially making sure his wife and mistress would hear the same cover story. Aliya canceled the meeting telling Caleb that there was no way in hell she could look Ashley in the face. And then three days later came one of the most significant messages in this entire case.

Caleb writes, quote, I woke up until 4 a.m. last night crying and literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail. End quote. Love the literal use of literal or was it figurative literal. everyone overuses the word literally including me, but in this context, is pretty important. So according to Caleb's own message, he had been thinking of ways literally to kill his wife and not go to jail. He followed it with, I have been literally trying to find a way to get rid of her, to be rid of her. And now, to be fair, to Aaliyah, this is one point where she explicitly drew a line. she responded, quote, 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, end quote.

That's important, right? At that point, Alia specifically told Caleb she was not asking him to murder Ashley and said that she didn't believe he actually would. But in the same conversation, she was still pressuring him to end the marriage saying, if you really do hate her and you want me so much more than her, then say goodbye to her forever. Time is ticking and I can't wait forever. Caleb responded, I'll work on getting rid of her. Two days later, I need to find a way. I have to find a way. And apparently Caleb intended to find that way with some divine assistance because by late August, he'd begun a 40-day fast, telling Alia he needed God to deliver him. A few days later, quote, I want this freedom more than my next breath.

Before court adjourned for the day, prosecutors also played some of the videos that Caleb sent. Alia showing just how bizarre the constant reassurance in this relationship had become. Hey, babe, I am so sorry to hear about mussels in your car, but I wanted to show you that I am home alone. I'm not sure if you want to see the puppies, but If anybody's listening, I love Aaliyah Botner. I love her, and I'm home alone. Do you love Alia? Do you want to see Alia? You want to see Alia?

Please contain your excitement. There is. Yes, you want to see you. Whose voice was that in the video? Yeah. And is that video a fair representation of what you were sent by Caleb? Yes. What was he talking about? with musters in your car? I don't remember what happened, but

I was getting my car fixed somehow. What's Musser's? Oh, Musser's is a car to prepare place. Play the second video, please. Is anyone here? Where's Abe and Alyssa? Who's voice was that?

Keith and put jammies on, okay? Love you. The voice was that? The video he sent you through me? Yes. That's the level of jealousy and distrust we are talking about. Leah needed reassurance about Caleb's interactions with his wife.

Caleb needed reassurance about any man who came near Alia. And apparently saying, she's not here, wasn't enough. Caleb would literally walk through his own house, filming evidence for his mistress. And with that, court ended for the day. But Alia's testimony was nowhere near finished. On day five, prosecutors continued through the messages. while the defense would eventually get its first real opportunity to put this relationship and Caleb's words into a very different context. 64,281.

I just wish I didn't say this. What was the message said? Says, I want to kill her, Caleb. Who said that? Me. Next message. I said it's so bad. Next message.

He said that makes two of us. 64,500. $6,566,56. He said on July 11th, 25. Yes, I met demo. Grabbed Carson and left. He said, I really want to emphasize that this release is not a release or freedom for me.

Literally nothing changes on my end besides losing the only thing that has given me life the last 16 months. I don't want to talk to her. I don't want to spend time with her. I don't want to be around her. And it's easy for your mind to wander, but I'm telling you,

this release actually makes me hate her worse if that's even possible 34 65,683 said on July 19th 25 I literally said today I hate her with everything in me and always will so that's wrong 66,077 July 30th 25 I honestly don't even know where to start

you have taken what I said and twisted it you've convinced yourself that what I said means something completely different but I'm not going to go back and forth can only try to explain again. I'm not making any decisions to comfort her now. I'm not making any decision to guard her for anything. I have not or will not be reconciling anything. As I said, I'm not responsible for what she did.

She made that decision, and now she pays with the consequences of someone who wants nothing to do with her. If it wasn't for Ava and Alyssa, I'd be gone. And so, again, I'm not doing anything with her in mind. I told you I'm only responsible for me, and I've tried for 16 months to control and manufacture something that would work for us, and it has caused destruction. I've eliminated the Lord from every possible area of my life,

as I knew if I let him lead, it would mean letting go of you. And so I wrestled and we surrendered and went back, release, and went back and everything now has gone to hell. And for that, Alia, I am sorry. I could not be more sorry of how poorly I led us and how I allowed us to get to where we are right now. But I'm not, not, not making decisions to try and hurt you. I'm just trying to release fully and let the law.

Lord now take control. You seem to think that I have somehow gained something from all this. You somehow think that you're the only one suffering. I know, Alia, you're suffering. I know Alia that this is the worst possible thing that we could have imagined. I know, but I have gained nothing. I still hate her. I still have no one. I still will live a fake life as if nothing is wrong. So think what you want, but I'm not happy. I have not gained anything. Yes, I was in Bear Lake. I went on morning walks every single morning by myself praying and screaming out to the Lord. praying I'd be mauled by a bear this is the business trip I have done the last three years

and so yes this last week was awful as it was the last place I wanted to be I'm sorry Alia I can't say that enough whether you believe me or not I'm only trying to trust the Lord and stop controlling things I can't speak for what the Lord prompts you to do or what he speaks but this is what I know he has spoken to me to stop controlling things and to release and trust him

he has said that for a while and I have ignored it more than I can count. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for it all. You have said some incredibly hurtful and hard things to me. I will take them as I know you. You're hurting. But I'm not trying to be careless, as you say. I'm just trying to trust Jesus. And then we get to September. And this is where Leah essentially became Caleb's personal IT department for destroying the digital trail of their affair. Leave it to his Gen Z mistress to do that. She researched the different apps that used and walked Caleb through how to erase their data, meaning their WhatsApp, their Apple, their Instagram. Her concern was specifically what might happen if Ashley hired an attorney, right?

So Caleb said, the lawyer thing is the only thing that scares me. And Alia told Caleb, let's just erase everything to be safe. And she was thorough. Delete the messages, delete the recently deleted folder, even delete the screenshots containing the instructions for how to delete everything. She said, quote, wouldn't be good if douche saw these screenshots, end quote. When Caleb failed to follow all of her instructions, Leah actually chastised him, writing Babe. I sent you the steps for a reason.

This is all worth it. I'm trying to make sure we're protected. But deleting their own evidence wasn't enough. Aaliyah wanted to know. She wanted to know what Ashley still had. Ashley, again, had previously discovered messages between them, right? including the pitcher of Alia's imaginary engagement ring, and Alia worried that she'd saved screenshots

that could become evidence in a divorce. Caleb said he had deleted the messages from the iPad, but Alia pointed out that Ashley could have sent copies to herself. She said, quote, she would have proof to bring it to court. So Caleb proposed another solution. I could try and grab her phone when she sleeps to check, and Alia helped him to plan.

it. She told Caleb where to search and warned him to be careful in case Ashley woke up and wondered why her husband was going to secretly go through her phone. Then, and I cannot make this up, they brainstormed an excuse for him to use if he did get caught. So Caleb would hide his own phone, pretend he couldn't find it and asked to borrow Ashley's to call it. And Alia's response, perfect. And I personally think this matters a lot beyond just the deletion itself. Because remember, Alia's explanation for initially lying to the FBI after Ashley was murdered, she was terrified that the affair would become public. She'd lose her job and her reputation would be destroyed.

So these messages show that fear didn't suddenly appear after Ashley died. Months earlier, she was already researching how to erase their communications, worrying about lawyers and evidence, and helping Caleb devise a cover story to secretly search his sleeping wives' phone. Meanwhile, Caleb was still promising to leave Ashley. But by September, Alia didn't want promises anymore. She wanted a plan. She said, we can't do this until you leave her. Please let me know when you divorce her. I need her gone, Caleb. Caleb understood. He wrote, once she is gone, my goodness, my goodness, it all changes. And by this point, I'm going to spare you the approximately 47,000 variation of Caleb saying he hated his wife.

We get it. What matters now is that Alia had attached a concrete condition to their future. Ashley had to be out of the marriage. And then Caleb put into writing exactly what he believed leaving Ashley could cost him. He wrote, quote, I think what I'm willing to sacrifice is my daughters. a quarter million dollar salary job, a place to live, possibly a church that I serve at, public shame and humiliation, and way more, end quote.

Okay, so that message, it's incredibly important because it changes the context. It adds depth to this motive. Because according to Caleb himself, divorce wasn't simply signing some papers and getting to ride off into the sunset with Alia. he believed he could lose time with his daughters, his home, a job paying roughly a quarter million dollars a year, a job connected to Ashley's family, possibly his position at church, and then the consequence both Caleb and Alia had spent months desperately trying to avoid public exposure of the affair. But Caleb continued telling Alia that he was willing to do it. During an argument

about another man, he wrote, quote, I want my girls full time. time any life with you, but I can't have both. So I've weighed the options and I choose you. End quote. Wow. Yeah. By October, Alia wanted specifics. She said, the 40-day fast is over. You leave her. I'm yours again forever. I need her gone and I need urgency. Caleb, I want you to leave her right now. Eventually, Caleb gave her an actual deadline before Thanksgiving, But of course that came and went. And from there, the cycle becomes almost exhausting. Caleb promised to leave.

Aaliyah set a deadline. The deadline arrived. Caleb was still married, so they said another one. And then before Thanksgiving, and then Thanksgiving becomes Christmas. And then on December 8th, Leah told him, either you leave her before Christmas or I have to move on. I said November 29th, are you still leaving her or not? 103,935. I said November 29

I need to know if you're still leaving her when you promised you would I need you to know that if you don't I'm gone forever this time are you leaving her? In the next four messages please? I said I need to know as I start fasting and praying it's a simple yes or no

and then I'll leave you alone for a very long time one more I'm bawling harder than ever because you keep doing this to me 103,948 I said the same day You're avoiding it and it hurts me so much worse You do this every time with the crews

With leaving her And you said it was real this time I should have I should have fucking known You even picked the date Keep going to you. I'm going insane right now Caleb I need to

I need to fucking know this Before I start praying and fasting You know what Never mind I have all I need to know Your uncertainty And not being able to answer it tells me everything I need to know.

You are going to hurt me again, and this was your last chance. I've given too many chances. This was supposed to be our future. 103,971? I said, you still can't answer if you're leaving her. Caleb, you don't even see how you hurt me and you don't care. 34,34,000. I said on December 8th, Caleb, I can't keep waiting on you to leave her,

and I can't go through Christmas shit again. I can't do it again. can't even bear it. So you need to make up your mind on leaving her or I need to change my life around forever. I said on December 8th, we would have, we would have had our forever next week. How did you reply? He said, yep, then you saw out Will and other guys. And how did you reply? I said, we could, we could. We still could. So it's time for you to make up your mind. Either you leave her before Christmas or I have to move on, let me know. Caleb admitted that he had promised exactly that, but once again started backing away.

He wrote, I know that I said I would leave her before Christmas. I'm just trying to work through a ton in my mind. So Alia extended the deadline again. Christmas came. Caleb didn't leave Ashley. Instead, he went to Minnesota with his family. And the next day, Leah unloaded on him. She said, you'll never leave her.

I'll believe it when I see it. She told him to stop contacting her, but within days they were discussing it again. And as a calendar flipped to 2026, Celia gave Caleb what she says was the final deadline, January 11. She wrote, if you leave her next week, we can have forever. If you don't, you never have me again. Quite the ultimatum. This time, she said there would be no extension. And January 11th came and Caleb did not.

leave Ashley. January 11th. Thank you. Your deadline is over and I haven't heard any updates from you about anything all weekend like you said. You would. I deserve to know the plan and details whether it was happening or not and the way you've talked to me on the phone lately and handled all of this in the middle of my suffering has been the opposite of okay. The lack of intentionality and pursuit from you has also blown my mind. This isn't who I fell in love with in the beginning. It's not who I've prayed for. You don't want me enough and I just have to accept that. It's time for me to put my big girl pants on, be strong and officially move on from you and us. I desperately wish this all could have been different. I hope you're happy with all you've taken from me. I was so ready to spend the rest of my life with

you. I had never been more sure about anything and anyone in my entire life. I was wrong. The following day, he insisted that he had tried. So according to Caleb, he had arranged for the girls to stay with Ashley's parents and attempted to initiate the conversation, but Ashley wouldn't have it and eventually left the house. He said, this wasn't a, broken promise, I did try. But even Caleb acknowledged, I'm sorry I didn't meet your deadline. And after roughly a year and a half more than 100,000 group me messages and a deadline after deadline after deadline, Alia stopped responding. Caleb tried again on February 3rd, sending her lyrics to the song he'd written about her, about the relationship. No response, not even from that.

And then came Valentine's Day, two days before Ashley Flynn was murdered. Caleb suddenly resurfaced with a group message to Alia and her boss saying he needed to speak with him. Alia immediately asked the question that apparently never strayed very far from her mind. She said, is what you're about to tell us going to affect my reputation or job? February 14th, is this talk with me and Josh about something I deserve to know sooner than later? If you're stepping down from Easter and or the worship team, don't make me wait until Tuesday to find out. I have a lot of things to iron out this week and need as much time as possible. It shows me that you read my messages, by the way.

Caleb said, I'm not stepping down from Easter. That will be up to Jordan. That will be up to Jordan and you guys. I said, what's going on, Caleb? Is what you're about to tell us going to affect my reputation or job? Or could it in the long run? These are things I need to know before you bring other people into things. I need to be prepared.

He said, I would never do anything to put you, your job, or your reputation at risk, ever. I don't want to text about it as I don't know what will be used but I have to update you and Josh on my life and what it will look like moving forward. Again, can't text about it. I said, what do you mean you don't know what will be used?

Does this have to do with you and I situation at all? He said yes. And I said then I deserve to know, Caleb. If you were in my shoes, you'd be so anxious. He said, I'm free. I'll tell you all. But to be careful for us both, shouldn't text or leave any trails. I said what?

He said, I said these are things I need to know immediately because I'm not sure how that happened, but we both know she's going to bring up messages between us and more. You being free does affect my reputation, job and life. I need to prepare myself, and I need to know how this happened. I said, and I've also heard this kind of thing before, so my walls are up. Can we talk about this in person tonight or something? He said, yes.

I said, this does affect me. He said, okay, when and where? I said, okay, when and where. He said after service. I said I have a debrief. I have debrief, but guessing I'll go quick because Jordan isn't here. Are you able to wait? And where will we meet?

Is the cafe two out in the open or no? My office? I don't know. I said, but Caleb, you can't just keep things like this from me. There's a lot on the line. He said, yeah, I can still stay after. I'll explain all. I haven't been sitting on this.

I promise lots to update you on. I'm sorry. I said, did you come free in a way that protects us? I just need to know that. He said a million percent. I said, I don't know how you did this. I said, I'm so curious in how she's not texting or calling me or blowing up somehow. He said, you haven't been brought up once.

I said, does her family know yet? He said, no, I'm going to meet with them either Sunday or Monday. I'm not telling them when, as I don't want to ask her what it's about and then her to get ahead of this. Again, lots to tell. I just don't think it's safe to text. I need to remember how to completely wipe this app. I said, just delete the thread. It's end-to-end encrypted or whatever.

we'll talk tonight. Or do you want to talk so we don't have to keep texting on here after debrief, but where? He said, just so it's not obvious, want to do your office or out in plain sight so we can say we were talking about Easter, if anyone someone ever asks, I said, yeah, let's just do my office. According to Alia, when they spoke privately at church, Caleb told her that after all the broken promises and missed deadlines, this time was different. He was finally leaving Ashley. But by February 15th, another issue had Caleb's full attention, another man. Alia told Caleb, she'd agreed to go on a date in March. She barely knew the man, but after Caleb missed the January deadline, she had decided to move on. And she made sure that Caleb understood why, writing, you could have had it all on January 11.

Caleb became fixated on who the man was. Alia initially refused to tell him because she was worried about his reaction, but eventually gave him the name, Gabriel Day. And according to the messages, Caleb immediately looked him up. Then Alia asked the question that actually mattered. Now that Caleb knew she might be moving on, was he still leaving Ashley? He said yes. When Alia suggested he could wait if he needed time to process everything, Caleb was emphatic. She said, I'm not waiting. He told her no other man could love her the way he did and said that he would fight for her and beg for one last chance and after everything was finally done. Is it better late than never? And if you choose me, you will not regret it as we finally have a love that is free. Aaliyah wasn't nearly as optimistic. She reminded Caleb of how many times she had heard these promises before. He said, then please forgive me because that's not what I wanted to do or communicate.

I said, I don't believe in love anymore. He said, then let me show you and make you believe again. I said, it's all fake and never lasts. I'm not enough. He said, you're wrong. Baby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for that, but you're wrong. You are enough.

It's why I'm doing this. It's what, even though I'm scared, I'm doing this. I said, I don't believe in love because of you. He said, then I have to be the one. who shows you that it's real. I said, in quotations, I'm doing this. Blah, blah, blah. I heard that one before.

Caleb said, then I have to be the one to show you that it's real. I said, how can the person that showed me love isn't real, show me that it is? He said, because what we had was real. It is real. It was like nothing, anyone ever felt or experienced. We were literally obsessed with each other,

but the timing was off. She tainted it all. And through this, you have been hurt. And I can't say I'm sorry enough. I have to spend the rest of my life making up for that. I have to spend the rest of my life giving you what you deserve and showing you that what we had was and is real. That's when it's free and no strings attached.

Will be the most beautiful thing you will ever experience. Because I don't expect you to believe me until it's done. I'm sorry of talking about this has made you angry. O'ia, I love you. And if you give me just one more chance, I'll love you till the day you die. I will show you love is real and love does last. I knew what love was. It wasn't until I met you that I truly experienced it.

And it's been an awful bumpy road to where we are at, but I pray this, and then I'll let you go if you need to be done. Looks like we made it. Look how far we found my baby. We might have took the long way. We knew we'd get there someday. Ain't nothing better.

We beat the odds together. I'm glad we didn't listen. Look at what we would be missing. I said, right when I start to forget, you bring the pain back up again. Nothing can convince me that you'll actually do it this time. I need to protect myself. What we had wasn't real.

Love isn't real. Only God's love is real. Perfect love. Nothing else. I haven't known one man to show me that. He said, I'm sorry. That's how you feel, and I'm sorry. I have upset you tonight.

I really and truly am. I never want to hurt you another day for the rest of your life. If the Lord gives me 60 more years to live, I only want to spend them making up for the lost time together and for pains I've caused you. If allowed, I will show you otherwise. Again, I'm so sorry I've upset you. I said,

thank you for apologizing. I said, we'll see what happens. My hands are open to the Lord and whatever his will is for my life. And no matter the cost or who it affects, I'm completely following him. He said, completely fair. I said, this has happened so many times.

You completely crush my life and then you say you want to make up for it for the rest of your life. It's an endless cycle. I said something will change your mind. Always does. He says, you have every right to say that. You just told me you're going out with someone,

someone I'm sure that you talk to regularly. Someone that you obviously have some attraction to is you wouldn't have said yes to it otherwise. I have zero guarantee that you will let me love you again. I have zero guarantee that you even want me again. With all that said, I'm still going to do it. 106.899. He said, and I'll prove it to you Tuesday. I said, we don't talk regularly at all.

He said, I wouldn't have texted or involved Josh if I wasn't serious. I said, okay. He said you're attracted to him. Anyways, I'm not going to do it. Sorry, he said, I'm going to do it. I said, don't know him. Caleb, you have no right to be saying all about or getting stuff out of me like this.

You already know way more than you deserve to know. He said, I know that's why I changed the subject quick. I said, are you sure about all this? He said, yes. I said, you need to figure out where you'll live. He said, I have a buddy I went to college with Gavin Middleton. He's in the Air Force and just moved here and works at Wright Pat. I said, okay.

He said him, or I might ask Ben at Wright Pat. he has rentals. I set in for your job. He said, I have a good bit saved up in my 401k and other stuff. I'd be good for a while if I couldn't find something. But all stuff I got to figure out. Thought about talking to Jason Norman as he always wants me to lead worship. Also still have all these contractors that I know that I could get a job at. I said, you'll be fine. He said there's other stuff I know I could look into as well, so lots to do here. He said, can I ask one thing? Where are you going for your date?

I said coffee. He said, okay. Ignore me if I'm snooping in a back corner. I said, Caleb. He said, please don't open your heart to him. I'm sorry, I have no right. I'm sorry, it's my fault. I said insanely hard situation for sure.

You really came out of the blue with all this. He said, when I asked you tonight if you had found someone, you said no. He said I could ask anyone close to you and they would tell you. Said you wouldn't date anyone right now. Did you mean that or were you just taken off? guard by this all. I said because I didn't find anyone. This is a casual date. I don't count as suspiding someone. I also really did tell you, but I didn't know how. I really did want to tell you, but I didn't know how. I didn't have any time to prepare. I had no idea you were going to

come out with all this today. Alia remained skeptical. She had watched Caleb back out too many times before. Caleb insisted, nothing is stopping me, Alia. And in the middle of planning how he would supposedly dismantle his entire life, the next morning, Caleb asked the question that seemed to really matter. Do I even have a 1% chance to have another shot with you? Alia said it was more than 1% but promised nothing. Caleb admitted he was terrified that her heart had moved on to Gabriel, but said, I'm doing it regardless. Then I'm choosing peace. I'm choosing freedom and I'm choosing you. But even while supposedly preparing to leave his marriage,

Caleb and Alia were still covering their tracks. She reminded him to delete their messages. Caleb agreed and asked whether there was another way they could communicate because he might have to delete group me the next day. And then he wrote, I need a burner phone. They discussed buying a prepaid phone with cash so there wouldn't be a record on Caleb's bank statement.

I love it when people text about. about a burner phone. And at the same time, Alia was using chat GPT to research whether deleted messages could be covered, what could be subpoenaed during a divorce, and whether financial records and Venmo transactions could expose the affair. She sent that information directly to Caleb. And it's important to be precise here. According to Alia, all of the secrecy was about hiding their affair during a divorce. She testified that she believed Caleb was preparing to leave Ashley, not kill her. There is obviously an enormous difference between those two things, right? But whatever Alia believed Caleb was about to do, these two were putting an extraordinary amount of effort into

making sure Ashley and potentially anyone else couldn't uncover the full history of their relationship. Caleb told Alia that he'd wiped his iPad, reset his phone multiple times, and searched Ashley's phone for evidence that she had saved their messages. He promised, I will take the fall, and go down with it before I ever let you get dragged into this somehow. And then he gave Lee instructions for the following day. Let me be the one who texts you first. And let's always delete these threads as soon as we are done. Caleb even had a to-do list for February 16th. Talk to Todd and Jill. Get his daughters, talk to his neighbor, contact Pastor Jordan, call Dave about a job, and get the burner phone. they actually debated where the burner phone should fall on the list and whether

Caleb should buy it first and pay cash. He planned to wake up early, work out, get changed and leave. And as he wrote, quote, and then it all goes down. An incredibly ominous sentence in hindsight, right? But again, Alia testified that she understood it, all of it going down to mean the divorce. As midnight approached, she continued questioning whether Caleb was really going to follow through. Caleb repeatedly said, yes, I'm doing it, Aaliyah. I'm not doubting. My mind is racing, but I'm not going back. He admitted he was terrified of hurting his daughters, but said losing Alia terrified him even more, even more than hurting his daughters. If this gives me a 1% chance to spend my life with you, it's the 100% right decision. Then Caleb said he needed to rid himself of Ashley so he could be. completely free to give Alia all of himself and, quote, tomorrow it all starts.

Their conversation continued past midnight. At approximately 12, 23 a.m. on February 16th, Alia gave him one final opportunity to reconsider writing, make sure you are sure about your decision tomorrow. Caleb, I'm sure. And then came some of their final messages before Ashley was killed. Caleb, February 16th, a day I'll never forget. Alia, you're about to be free, Caleb. I choose you, Alia.

You're more than enough. Good night. They told each other they were praying. And according to Alia, that was the last time she heard from Caleb before learning his wife had been killed. Just look at where that conversation ended. For months, Alia had demanded Caleb leave his wife. He repeatedly failed. She finally cut him off. Then two days before Ashley's death, Caleb came back saying he was free.

He discovered Alia was preparing to date another man and said he wasn't waiting anymore. He laid out a detailed plan for February 16th. He said nothing would stop him. They discussed a burner phone, cash, and deleting messages. Caleb talked about needing to rid himself of Ashley. And hours before Ashley was shot to death, Caleb called February 16th, a day I'll never forget. At 7.50 that morning, apparently unaware Ashley was already dead, Aaliyah messaged Caleb with instructions for contacting her once he had the burner phone. And then someone told her to pray for Mrs. Flynn. Suddenly her message has changed. Caleb, I just saw the news. Then, what is going on right now? Were you behind this? End quote.

Leah later deleted those messages. So even after learning Ashley having killed, her instinct was still to erase evidence of her communication with Ashley's husband. Later that morning, Alia went to the Smith family home where friends, relatives, and church staff had gathered. There she saw Caleb. And according to Alia, Caleb walked over and hugged her. Then he said, it didn't happen the way we thought it would, did it? What did the defendant tell you about the early morning hours of February 16th, 2025 when we're at the Smith's house? When I walked in, he didn't see me at first. He came over and hugged me.

And then the first thing he said to me was it didn't happen the way we thought it would, did it? What else did you tell you? And I said, Caleb, how did this happen? Do you not have cameras in your house? how did you not know someone was breaking into your house? I was asking him just a lot of questions and really wondering how this happened and I was just very suspicious. How did he tell you that happened?

He said he was sleeping on the couch because he always told me he never slept in bed with her. He said he was sleeping on the couch that he woke up the first time from the dog shivering and he thought it was weird but then he went back to sleep. And then the second time he woke up was from a gunshot. He said that he ran straight to the garage door, saw that it was wide open, and then went into, looked into Ashla's room, and he said he saw blood everywhere. And he said he'll never forget that sight. Where did he tell you he woke up sleeping in front that second time? The couch.

Ms. Bodner, is everything you testified to yesterday and today, true and accurate to the best of your knowledge? Yes. And with that, prosecutors ended their direct examination. But now, just wait, the defense had a very obvious. target because as damaging as Caleb's own messages were, the woman interpreting much of this relationship for the jury was hardly a neutral witness. Alia had hated Ashley. She'd wished her gone. She had written, I want to kill her. She'd helped Caleb erase evidence of their affair, deleted messages after learning Ashley was dead, and then lied to the FBI when agents came asking

questions. So cross-examination really came down to one question. How much of Alia Botner could this jury even trust? The defense began with Alia's behavior after the murder. In the days following Ashley's death, in the three days following, you conducted several internet searches regarding the case. Is that correct? And some of those internet searches included stories of wife being murdered and no suspect found. Is that correct? Yes. On the, and that was approximately on February 17th,

to your knowledge? Probably. On approximately February 19th, you searched homicides in America that still remain unsolved. Yes. Following that, more recent homicides in America that still remain unsolved.

Yes. You also searched your own name and Ashley's name. Yes. Who is executive, Pastor Enis Marshall. He's the executive pastor at Christian Life Center. What is your relationship to him? We were on staff together, and also we were friends.

Did he reach out to you in the days following Ashley's death to check up on you? I don't know if it was the days following, but I know he did reach out to him. He's not about what you had told him? I'm sorry, I can't remember what I told him. After you were discussing the case with him, the investigation with him? Probably. And did you indicate to him

that... Sustained. You testified that you were transported to the Titsby Police Department for an interview on February 20th, is that correct? Yes. And at that time, were you aware

of whether or not Caleb was already in custody? Yes, I was. Prior to giving any statements to the FBI, were you advised to tell the truth? By who? Sorry. Did the FBI instruct you to tell the truth? Prior to meeting with the FBI?

Before speaking with them. In an interview room in the city police department? Yes. The contents of the interview would be with the FBI, correct? I could guess, yeah. And you could guess that it was regarding Ashley Flynn's deaths. Okay. So knowing that you were there to provide statements regarding Ashley's death,

at that time you were not truthful with the FBI in your first interview. There wasn't. And you testified on direct examination that that was out of your interest to protect your reputation. Yes. Okay. I think it was approximately February 26 that you attended a second interview with your attorney. Is that correct? Sounds right.

And was that with the same two FBI agents at the Mississippi Police Department? Yes. same to people. In your first interview, you indicated that you did not believe that Caleb killed Ashley, is that correct? I said that before I admitted to the affair, yes. Okay. And in the second interview, you indicated that you did believe that Caleb killed his wife.

Yes. And that was in the second interview when you had retained counsel. I hired a lawyer, and that was in that second interview. Yes. Now you had no involvement in the investigation with law enforcement outside of those two interviews, correct? No involvement. So your statements to the FBI that you believed that Caleb killed his wife were based off of your relationship and your conversations with him. Just my opinion, yeah.

Can you tell me what about your relationship and your conversations with Caleb led you to believe that kind of view? I simply thought that it was way so much of a coincidence that she was all the sudden dead on the day that he was going to divorce her. Prior to the FBI coming, you said they came to your mother's house and picked you up? Yes. Okay. Prior to them coming to your mother's house and coming to get you for an interview, you never reached out to anyone, including law enforcement, about your concerns. Prior to the first meeting?

Correct. Before the FBI came to get you for an interview, You never reached out to law enforcement about any of your concerns about Caleb. No. And did you tell anyone else about your concerns? I did not. The defense also revisited her missing technology. The iPhone that she says she accidentally dropped into the ocean in Florida and the church-owned MacBook that she said she accidentally left at an airport or on the airplane.

The laptop was never recovered. and the temporary prepaid phone that she obtained after damaging her iPhone, the same phone she still had when she and Caleb were discussing burner phones, it was never confiscated. Then the defense turned to the relationship itself. Alia acknowledged that she was actually Caleb's leader on the church worship team. She knew that the affair violated her faith, and they hit it because they both knew what they were doing was indeed wrong.

Then the defense began putting those 107 group me messages into a very different context. Alia admitted she may have sent roughly twice as many messages as Caleb. She loved him, wanted to marry him, and wanted children with him. And she was intensely jealous of Ashley. Alia constantly wanted to know what Caleb was doing with his wife. Had they spoken? Were they together? Had they been affectionate?

Had Caleb bought her anything? She checked Caleb's location and social media and requested screenshots, pictures, videos, and sometimes even proof of how long his phone calls lasted. Why? Well, she said it's just to give me security and builds my trust. I said on February 14th of 2025, sweetheart, I love you. I also want you to know I'm feeling a little in my head about Ashley. Have you said anything to her today?

How she wished you happy Valentine's Day, please be honest. are you going to be home at all before you leave and will you be seeing her? Have her parents mentioned anything about rescheduling date night? Has she said anything at all? I want you to know that I might be checking on Instagram periodically today just in case she posts or something. I just need to. It doesn't mean I'm getting Instagram back.

Just need to see if she posts anything about you for my peace of mind. Goodness, I've stalked both of your Instagrams and you both used to post each other all the time for Valentine's. I trust you, but it's like how you want to see if anyone has to be. has messaged me on Instagram and such. I love you and had the best morning with you. Can't wait to text you all day and I will send you a selfie every hour if you do the same. Message 3,530.

I said on February 16th of 25, can you prove it to me when you're done? Like, screenshot the call and the amount of time you were on the phone. He said you don't believe me. I said it's a Saturday and you're at home with douchebag. We have been sending and proving things to each other. constantly this week, why wouldn't you do it with this one?

It just gives me security and builds my trust like we've been helping each other with all week. So, I'm coming with that from you. So parents say that through your messages, all these messages with the Caleb that you guys argued pretty regularly. Yes. And what would your arguments be about? This would be about me going to young adults events, and mine would be about. about him being around Ashley. So he expressed jealousy to you.

Yes. Regarding, well, Will from Run Club is one of them that we talked about during direct. Yes. And then any other guys that you might come into contact during whatever small groups that you were with. Yes. And you expressed jealousy and frustration

when he was at home with his book. wife. Yes. And he was at home his wife was about every day. Yes. And we saw a little bit through those messages that you just read that you were asking that Ashley wasn't home, right? Yes. Was that what prompted

some of the videos that were shown yesterday of Caleb showing you through a video that he was home alone or that Ashley wasn't home? A lot of the times, yes. And suddenly those bizarre videos the prosecutors played, Caleb walking through his own house filming empty rooms,

to prove Ashley wasn't there at some additional context. Alia admitted that Caleb made many of them because she asked him to prove it. That doesn't make the videos any less bizarre, but it matters because the defense's argument was becoming clear. Some of what prosecutors portrayed as evidence of Caleb's hatred and rejection of Ashley existed inside an extraordinarily jealous, dysfunctional affair where Alia constantly demanded reassurance that Caleb wasn't spending time with his wife, and she had reasons not to trust him. Alia sometimes checked Caleb's location and discovered him at restaurants or movie theaters with

Ashley after he had portrayed their marriage very differently. She saw affectionate messages that Ashley sent him and knew Ashley appeared to still love her husband. I said on May 29th, 25, why wife hated to Ashley and was? she fucking wants. Next message. I'm so done with you. You have murdered my heart. Next message. And every...

Next. Hope you're glad you took my virginity and also my heart. Next message. And stomped all over it. Next message. Enjoy your marriage. Next message. I'm done.

Which raised an important possibility when Caleb repeatedly told Alia, I hate Ashley. I can't stand her. I don't touch her. I don't want her. her. Was he always revealing what he genuinely felt, or was he sometimes telling his jealous mistress exactly what she needed to hear? Alia conceded he might have been, and that's clearly an important concession, because Caleb's hatred of Ashley had almost become a refrain throughout the prosecution's case. I love you. I hate her. I don't want her. I stay away from her. The defense

was now asking whether those statements told the jury only what Caleb thought about his wife or also what Caleb knew he needed to say to keep Alia happy. There were even times that Caleb appeared to try to end the affair himself. He told Alia that the relationship wasn't working, that he hadn't gotten a yes from God, that all they did was argue and that she deserved better. Alia admitted that she understood those messages as Caleb trying to end things and she tried to stop him. Eventually, that relationship turned into deadline after deadline for Caleb to leave his wife. He'd miss one. Alia would be devastated, and then she'd give him another chance. When you talked about your expectations that this relationship was going to go somewhere.

Yes. And we saw that those turned into deadlines and demands. Was there a time that you asked him to talk about how much he hated Ashley? There were probably times. And through those messages that you read on direct, you also gave him an ultimatum several times that he had to pick you or his daughters. Me or his daughters? I may have said that. Custody full time, having his daughter's full time or having you. The messages that the prosecutor had you read on direct, you admit that there are several things that you said within those that you now regret.

Absolutely. Do you believe that there is context to some of those messages that you had not read? Yes. The defense also showed just how extreme Alia's reactions could become when Caleb spent time with Ashley, even when it involved their children. Ava's birthday. Alia knew Caleb and Ashley were together celebrating with her. And Alia wrote,

What a perfect, amazing freaking family. What an amazing duo you and her are. I want to run in front of a bus, end quote. That's crazy. He's celebrating. Just think about that reaction. He is celebrating. his daughter's birthday. She complained that Caleb wasn't adequately acknowledging her pain

and demanded to feel seen, valued, heard, and affirmed. And then Caleb responded with one of the prosecution's most damning messages, if I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat. And Caleb, when I make comments like Amazing Duo, it's never against you. It's against the situation that was in all caps. Obviously, my gosh, I just need your care in these times. Will you ever really get it? That's message is an edit? Yes.

And 43,248. He said, I do care. When I was hurting yesterday, I didn't throw out statements like that, but I should be used to that by now. I'm sorry this sucks. I hate this in my life and this situation more than anything in the world. If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat. That's how dark and how hateful I feel. I didn't get a response from you while you were playing pickleball for almost three hours.

I wasn't mad because I knew you were with people and you were busy. You get so angry with me when you don't get a response right away or you don't get it the way you want it. You know that I'm with Ava and her friends. I'm not around Dush and I stay away from her at all times. We did not plan this together. This is what Ava wanted and Dush scheduled it. I just show up and play and I'm sorry it hurts. I'm sorry more than anything.

So there was, that 43,248 is a message as you read earlier. And the context prior to that message is that you were upset that he was. spending time with Ashley. Yes. That's horrific, honestly. But the defense wanted the jury to see what immediately preceded it. That it was Alia, who was furious that Caleb was with his wife at their daughter's birthday and demanding reassurance that he didn't want to be around Ashley.

Does that make Caleb's response okay? Obviously not. Normal people do not reassure their misdure. by saying that they would murder their wife if eternal damnation weren't standing in their way. But context does matter when a jury is deciding whether those words reflected genuine murderous intent or Caleb saying increasingly outrageous things because he knew exactly what Aaliyah wanted to hear. And the defense had an even stronger example. Remember one of the prosecution's most chilling messages? I was up till 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.

Well, on cross, the jury learned what Alia had said immediately before that. She had asked Caleb for actually believable proof that he hated Ashley. Again, that context certainly doesn't erase his response. If someone asks you to prove you hate your wife, I've been brainstorming ways to murder her without getting caught is still a pretty alarming answer. But the defense's point was that Caleb wasn't making these statements randomly. and Alia admitted that the death talk wasn't entirely one-sided.

She had written that she hated Ashley, wanted her gone, and at one point, I want to kill her Caleb. Alia maintained that when she talked about Ashley being gone, she meant through divorce. Then came perhaps the defense's most important point. At the time that Caleb was making these statements, Aaliyah herself didn't believe he meant them literally. You made a comment during direct examination that when you had said that you wanted to kill Ashley, that you didn't mean it.

And at the time, you didn't believe that Caleb meant it either when he said it. I did not believe he meant it. No. And why didn't you believe he meant it? I don't think you could ever be capable of doing something like that. why was your deadline moving from month to month? Because he wouldn't meet it and then I gave more chances. So approximately how many deadlines did you get? Four or five.

Starting when. After the cruise. And that leaves the jury with a significant question, right? The prosecution showed months of Caleb saying he hated Ashley, wanted her gone, wanted her dad, and even thought about ways to kill her with how going. to jail? Well, the defense couldn't dispute those words. They're in writing. They're right there. Instead, they attacked what those words meant. Were these genuine expressions of murderous intent or

grotesque statements made inside an incredibly toxic affair where Alia consistently demanded reassurance, sometimes explicitly asking Caleb to prove that he hated his wife and at the time didn't believe his murder comments were serious herself. Of course, there's one enormous problem with that argument. Ashley ultimately was murdered. So were these horrific but empty statements? Right, Caleb spent more than a year telling Alia exactly what he wanted to happen and neither of them took him seriously until it actually did. The defense then returned to February 15 and roughly a month apart, Caleb contacted Alia and her boss and eventually met Alia at church. According to her, Caleb said he'd finally told Ashley that he was leaving and now had proof of Ashley's alleged affair

that gave him a way out. He said he was finally free. That night, Alia told Caleb about her upcoming date with Gabriel. The defense questioned why she would tell an intensely jealous former boyfriend about another man and she was genuinely trying to move on. Alia explained that Caleb was supposedly about to make a life-changing decision by leaving his wife, and she wanted him to understand that divorcing Ashley did not guarantee he would get Alia back. But the defense pointed out that Alia herself was not convinced Caleb would actually do it. She said, I'll believe it when I see it. Nothing can convince me you'll actually do it this time.

So which was it? Alia said that she was going back and forth. Part of her believed him because this time seemed different. Caleb was involving other people and laying out concrete plans. But after months of broken promises, she still didn't trust him. And when it came to what she believed Caleb intended to do on February 16th, Aaliyah was unequivocal. She believed he was leaving Ashley, not killing her.

Alia said that that's also what the burner phone deleted messages and Chad CBT research were about. She was not researching how to conceal a murder. She was terrified a divorce would expose their affair, destroy her reputation and potentially cost her job. So she researched discovery, custody, deleted messages, and financial records while helping Caleb erase evidence of their relationship. Certainly not admirable. But there is a big difference between, help me hide our affair during your divorce and help me conceal evidence of a murder. Alia testified that it was the former. The defense briefly revisited her whereabouts that night

and Aaliyah maintains she was alone house-sitting at Pastor Jordan's home and that nobody came over. Then they returned to one of her final conversations with Caleb. When Caleb wrote, I'll let you know if anything changes, but it won't. Alia immediately latched on to if anything changes. After all the broken promises, why even acknowledge that backing out was an option? But when the defense asked what she ultimately believed as their conversation ended,

Alia said that most of her, most of her thought that Caleb really would follow through this time. She believed that February 16th was finally going to be the day he left Ashley. The next morning, Alia sent Caleb instructions for contacting her through the prepaid phone. She then learned Ashley was dead. And whatever Alia believed the night before changed pretty damn quickly. Before she even went to the Smith family home, she messaged Caleb. Were you behind this? She admitted she was already suspicious, but she told no one.

When her boss asked her to come to the Smith's house, she went and tried to behave normally, as though the affair had never happened. All part of her still wanted to believe Caleb had not killed his wife. And the defense ended with something else worth noting. What investigators did not do with Alia, despite being Caleb's mistress, despite admitting she hated Ashley, despite writing some horrific messages herself, and despite initially lying to the FBI, police never, ever searched Alia's apartment. They never searched her.

They never searched her vehicle. They never collected her DNA or fingerprints. And Alia has never been charged with anything related to Ashley Flynn's murder. Did law enforcement ever search your apartment? No. Did they ever search your vehicle? No. Did they ever collect your DNA?

No. Did they ever collect your fingerprints? No. Up to today, have you had any charges? related to Ashley's murder? No. And have you been promised anything by the prosecutor? Never.

In exchange for your testimony today? No. Well, no, Your Honor. Certainly. I didn't know other questions at this time. Thank you. Thank you. The defense ended its cross-examination.

There was no redirect. And after days on the witness stand and tens of thousands of messages, Aaliyah Botner was finally excused. The jury was left with two very different ways. to understand what they just heard. The prosecution's argument is Caleb spent more than a year telling his mistress that he hated his wife, wanted her gone, and repeatedly wanted her dead. Alia finally walked away and Caleb learned that she was beginning to date other men,

came back promising February 16th would be the day he was free. And hours later, Ashley was murdered. Well, the defense's argument, though, is context changes those messages. Caleb was involved in an obsessive, volatile affair with a woman who constantly demanded reassurance that he hated his wife and sometimes explicitly asked him to prove it. Even Alia, the person receiving those messages in real time testified that she did not believe his statements about killing Ashley were literal and believed right up until Ashley's death that Caleb was prepared for a divorce.

And ultimately, the jury has to decide, right, whether these were horrific words of a man performing hatred for his wife? Or is this a man who spent more than a year saying exactly what he wanted to happen before his wife ended up dead? Well, finally, we got to the next witness. Ohio BCI Special Agent Joe Wilhelm, a digital forensics expert who examined roughly 12 devices in the investigation, including Caleb's iPhone. And what investigators recovered gave the jury an extraordinarily detailed digital timeline of the hours before Ashley's murder. First, there were signs of missing or deleted data. Caleb's available safari history only went back to the afternoon of February 15th,

even though forensic artifacts showed older browsing activity had existed. Wilhelm said that could indicate the history had been deleted or that private browsing had been used. There were also no text messages between Caleb and Ashley remaining on the phone. and although investigators could tell GroupMe had previously been installed, none of Caleb and Alia's GroupMe conversations remained on the device. Investigators were also able to determine when several apps disappeared. ChatGPT was deleted around 305 p.m. on February 15th

and shortly after 1 a.m. on February 16th, just hours before Ashley was killed. GroupMe and Instagram, they were uninstalled. That timing, this is notable, right? after the jury had spent days hearing messages in which Caleb and Alia discussed deleting conversations and concealing their communication. But honestly, the most significant part of Wilhelm's testimony was what Caleb's devices recorded overnight. His iPhone was plugged in shortly after 107 a.m. and remained locked and charging until around 2.30. Wilhelm found no direct user activity on the phone during that period, but Caleb's Apple Watch

was recording movement. It registered multiple periods of steps throughout the night, including more than 100, between roughly 218 and 2.28am. If he did this, somebody forgot to take their watch off. The watch was also recording Caleb's heart rate, which Wilhelm said, indicated it was being worn. And then around 228, the Apple Watch stopped recording steps. At approximately 229, Caleb's AirPods suddenly reappeared in the data and connected to his phone. The phone's audio routing began switching between the AirPods and the phone, even though the phone itself was still locked. Wilhelm said those changes could have occurred through the Apple Watch

or because the AirPods detected they were being worn. No music or other media was playing through them, and investigators never recovered the AirPods themselves, only their empty charging case found in the nightstand. and what appeared to be Caleb's side of the bed. So then came the critical sequence. At approximately 2.30, 36 a.m., Caleb's phone was unplugged. Two seconds later, it was unlocked with face ID.

At 2.30 and 48 seconds, the phone began recording steps. And seconds later, the 911 call began. So while Caleb's phone itself had been sitting locked and charging for more than an hour, His Apple watch was recording movement during portions of that time. Then immediately before the 911 call, the watch stopped recording steps, the AirPods connected, the phone came off the charger, face ID, unlocked it, and the phone itself began recording movement. Wilhelm also examined Caleb's location data from the previous evening. His phone left the Flynn home at around 549 p.m.

traveled through the Tip City and Troy area, made stops near the YMCA and CVS, and returned home shortly before seven. From then until Caleb left for the police department around 415. The next morning, the location data placed his phone at the Flynn residence. Investigators also recovered additional evidence of Caleb's relationship with Alia, including numerous digital artifacts connected to her Instagram and an email showing that Caleb had purchased and registered a star in her name. They also recovered the AI-generated song that Caleb had written for her. The same song that Alia testified he sent her the night before Ashley was killed. The lyrics in Caleb's notes matched those in the recovered recordings, and then

in open court, the jury heard the song that Caleb had written for Alia. Take a listen. Late nights jokes in our head That first time I saw you Disappeat I still see your Since the moon That's what we said It's late nights

Jokes in our head The first time I saw you The room disappeared First sight Even though I was scared It said time is But your present In between those nothing

And with that, that is where court ended for the day. Day six, oh, picked back up with special agent Wilhelm and the digital evidence. The state used Caleb's Apple Watch, phone, and AirPods to reinforce the timeline from the night Ashley was killed. But on cross-exam, Wilhelm acknowledged that some important limitations, that there were some important limitations. A recorded step doesn't necessarily mean someone actually took a step. The watch could tell investigators whether Caleb was awake or. asleep and AirPods can register as being worn when they're actually sitting in a pocket or being held. So while the devices recorded activity throughout the night, they couldn't always tell

investigators what Caleb himself was actually doing. Wilhelm also examined Alia's phone. Her location data placed her near her mother's home that evening and then traveling to an address on Hearst Drive shortly after midnight. And then there were searches found on Caleb's laptop. Two days after Ashley was killed, someone searched, do fire sticks have cameras? Can an iPhone record video with the off screen? And if an iPhone is off and charging, could it record video? The following morning, the laptop was used to visit Alia's Instagram page. And next came FBI Special Agent Andrea Kinzig, who examined Ashley's phone.

And one finding was particularly important, considering Caleb's claim that Ashley have been having an affair. What is it? The raw extractionary files that are produced by forensic tools such as Gray He and Celebrate are often not in a readable format, at least not to those without a specialized computer knowledge and software. There's various software, such as Insights Physical Analyzer, that can be used. to decode, parse out, decrypt, the raw extraction files, and create a user-friendly report of the extraction. The extraction reports are generally organized the contents of the phone by category, such as pictures, videos, documents, call logs, text messages, emails, search history, device

events, etc. Who reviewed the extraction reports? I did along with other members of the investigative team. Through your review, what evidence did you discover in regards to Ashley's plan made you involved in an extra marital affair? I did not find anything on the cell phone to indicate she was involved in an extra marital affair. She also found no indication that Ashley feared for her safety or was involved in any major conflict with someone else.

There were signs of trouble between Ashley and Caleb. One deleted message, after Caleb told Ashley he was worshipping, Ashley replied, you can be honest. Is it her? But Ashley's phone also showed something important about the timeline. She was actively using it that evening until around 11.20 p.m. when it was plugged in and locked. And after that, there was essentially no further user activity. Kinsig also obtained records from Caleb's Google account, and these revealed that Caleb had been paying for a service called Snoop Report, and it was to monitor Aaliyah's Instagram activity. Those emails, were present when Google preserved Caleb's account on February 16th, but were later found deleted.

Exactly when they were deleted could not be determined. The defense also pushed back against the state's portrayal of Caleb and Ashley's marriage. They showed jurors messages from the days leading up to Ashley's death where the two discussed their children, checked on each other when they were sick, made Valentine's Day plans, and exchanged, I love you, and I love you too. The prosecution countered that the defense's collection contained only selected messages and had not been independently validated by Kinzig. And really, that was the larger fight. Both sides were pulling very different pieces from thousands of communications to tell very different stories about this marriage. Kinsig also addressed the Flynn family's blink cameras. Records showed that cameras at the front door, back door and living room, but the entire system had last been online around January 26th, roughly three weeks.

weeks before Ashley's murder. Investigators couldn't determine why it went offline or who was responsible. There was also a murder for hire tip suggesting another man had been paid to kill Ashley. The FBI followed it back to the supposed source, who said it was nothing more than speculation. Investigators found no evidence supporting it and did not pursue the name man further, a decision the defense questioned on cross. The original source of the tip was from a fellow, the name of Zachary McIntosh? Yes? Yes.

And Zachary McIntosh works where? I was never, he was never responsive to our request to contact him, so I do not know where he works. Okay. But the allegation was that

Caleb had a pass at Wright- Patterson Air Force meets because his company that he was working for was doing some work out there. Correct. Correct. And Mr. Kromerai had a pass as well because he was doing some work out there as well. I do not know if Mr. Kromarin had a pass.

The OSI agent was not able to locate an identification card for him. But the allegation by Mr. McIntosh is that he knew Mr. Kromari because those guys had a conversation together, correct? Correct. Did anyone do a search as to who Mr. McIntyman? Natasha in fact was. His identity was known to the Tick City Post Department, at least the identity that was provided when he called the Tick City Post Department. Sure.

And he provided a telephone number, yes. Yes. In fact, he called twice. I don't recall. He called once or twice. Sure. But did you have a responsibility to look at the TIPC? that were coming in? There was one primary task force officer that's handled

for the tips. And how did it get directed towards you? I believe to the best of my recollection that it was being discussed and I had a break in my responsibilities. I had time to begin looking into it and so I offered. So Zachary indicated that he had called Ben, who reportedly worked with the victim's husband, Caleb Flynn. So somehow Zachary and Ben knew each other, correct, according to this too? Correct. Okay. And according to Zachary, Ben implied that someone had placed the hit on Caleb for Ashley?

Yes. and that another employee, Chris Phil, committed the homicide. Did anyone investigate this, Mr. Hill? Based on the fact that Mr. Cromerine reported that there was absolutely no merit to what he had said, it was not further investigated. He stated that it was just something that he offered on with no verifiable information. So you were provided with the name of a person who allegedly committed a homicide. Did anyone do a record check on that fellow?

His name is very generic, and so we don't even know who the curse tellers. Okay. And did anyone attempt to contact him? Based on the information that was provided by Mr. Carmine now. Okay. And do you recall in that tip that Zachary actually called? twice and he called later after speaking with the

former again and stated that Chris Hill it in with the residence through the side door. Objection. Sustained. That tick came in on 16 February in 2026, correct? The

information from the tip was verbally provided to me so I don't believe I ever physically saw it but he's verbally provided to me the information in it. Okay. And And so bottom line, that TIP was never followed up on. It was followed up on by discussing it with Mr. Carmine. But there was a decision made to not pursue it any further, correct?

Yes, that was made collectively by the team, yes. How many days later was that decision made? Because if the information came in on the 16th, it was simply reported to an officer at the TIP City Police Department, How many days did it take to get up the chain to get to whoever was reviewing them and then to you, if you recall? Well, I became involved in the investigation on the 17th and we began trying to contact Mr. McIntosh on the 17th. And then the 18th was the day that we spoke to Mr. Carmeling. Okay.

And nothing happened after that, correct? Correct. The next witnesses helped establish Alia's whereabouts. A neighbor's ring cameras. captured activity outside a home on Hearst Drive around 12, 14 a.m., and that home belonged to Pastor Jordan Hansen of Christian Life Center, where Alia had reportedly been house sitting there that weekend. Hansen identified his house in the footage and a white SUV pulling out of the garage. That lined up with Alia's phone data, placing her on Hurst Drive at roughly the same time.

Hansen also explained that Alia was a full-time worship leader at the church, while Caleb occasionally served as a contracted worship leader, an extramarital relationship would violate church policy and could cost Alia for job giving both of them reason to keep their relationship secret. By the following Sunday, Alia had resigned. Does the CLC have written employment policies for staff members? We do. Can you generally describe what those standards are? Yeah, I mean, we expect our staff to be Christian, to behave in Christian ways.

and yeah. Do you have any policies specifically regarding sexual relationships between staff members and volunteers? It is absolutely prohibited unless they're married. So is it fair to say that also extramarital affairs would be prohibitive? That's fair. What are the consequences for staff members or volunteers or contracted employees when they don't meet those standards?

Well, I think consequences for a volunteer is a little different. You know, church is full of broken people. You're working with people to help them grow in their relationship with God. A staff member is held to a higher standard, and it would likely lead determination, though there would be a heart to restore that person. But when I say restore, I don't necessarily mean to a position. I mean to their relationship with Christ. The final witness of the week was Detective Sergeant Mike Morgan. He was the lead investigator. And when Morgan first entered the Flynn home, Ashley appeared to be asleep. in bed. Two shell casings were on the floor. Then he looked at the garage. Caleb's truck console was open. The same place investigators learned Caleb normally kept a handgun.

The garage side door was also open with a refrigerator pushed against it. But Morgan testified that the damage around that door did not look consistent with someone forcing their way through it from outside. The state then played portions of Caleb's interview from the day that Ashley died. So can you take me to the point where you guys are laying down the girls? I think you stopped there. And I know this is difficult, and I'm just trying to, you know, understand fully if we put the girls out and went out in the living room to watch. She's reading something on her phone. when she reads books on her phone.

It was at Jurassic Parkon until about 11. In your bedroom? Oh, you and her were out of the living room? Yeah. And I remember seeing us, oh, my gosh, it's already 11. So we went into the bedroom. I was asleep and I kept coughing.

And the dog, you got enough. I remember get water. I walked in the bedroom, tucked them in. The dog had woke me up. They shook. Like, they're wagging or itching in the collar of the leash. It's louder. Claims against each other as it woke me up.

So I heard the dog. And then I just went through, and checked on my girls, my youngest. You know, I wasn't late. That's whatever. And I'm here to help, okay? I'm not me trying to, you know. I stayed at the bedroom.

With your wife? It's just a garage door. The door that was open. It was a wide open. Caleb also gave investigators possible alternative leads, including a strange man who had recently come to the house and another person who had supposedly made a comment to Ashley about knowing where her family lived. He voluntarily gave police information about the guns in the home. But as investigators learn more about the crime scene, Morgan's question became more pointed. He pressed Caleb about exactly where he had been, how long he'd been there, and how much time

passed between the gunshots and his 911 call. Caleb also acknowledged that he and Ashley had argued that Friday. And then there was the missing gun. Caleb told Morgan he had kept a handgun inside his truck center console for years, and very few people knew it was there. Caleb said that essentially just Ashley and their daughters knew it was. was there. Yet when Morgan arrived that morning, the console was already open and the gun appeared to be gone. Normally when somebody is murdered, there's a motive. There is something behind the situation. Sure. Okay. Somebody has a problem with this person or there's something there's something there

that is a motive to harm them. Okay. And there's a lot of different reasons. You know what I mean? Like in my time, there's been financial, there's been, you know, different things, you know, marital problems, whatever, you know what I'm saying. And I'm still trying to figure out what those motives would be sure for somebody to do this at basically, you know, nearly a point-link range, you know,

because of the fact of the injury and where, things that, you know, it appears that, you know, if she popped up and this person was coming from the edge of the bed where you were standing to shake her, yeah, there would be gloves batter on the wall. Everything is, she was sleepy. It appears that way. It does not look like a struggle. You know, so just to kind of, we took her phone. You know, we're going to do it. Yeah. Yeah.

We'll have all messages between her and everybody. Social media, Snapchat. Like, people think just because it's deleted, we can't get it. Yeah. We can get communicating this to somebody. You know, I'll be able to find a lot. Yeah. That direction.

None whatsoever. The reason why is the last thing I want is, to discuss this because it would explain some things. You know what I mean? And I don't want that for you or this situation because I don't think it's fair. Okay. So that's why I'm asking,

have you guys, you know, argue to the point where a neighbor would hear or more things like that? You can ask any neighbor. Well, we have. Yeah. And there was a neighbor that said that they had heard you guys arguing at different points.

And that's not to, like you said, if it's just an argument and if it's a miracle thing, so be it. I wouldn't take offense to it. You know, you're allowed to have a disagreement. Would you say that there was ever arguments? The last argument we had was trying to. The girls were going to have a sleepover at their name on Papa's house. and our oldest had lied week prior.

And so she was going to lose her sleepover. So we argued on if it should be with her name and Papa or her friends next sleepover. And so it ended up being

she didn't get to sleep over that Friday and so she went and got her. She came home with us. But I have no idea who would say they hear us arguing. I don't necessarily put

a whole lot of you know, that makes it a big deal or not. You know what I mean? I mean, want to go into the of your wife's son. You know, if there's nothing, there would be nothing. Yeah. Forking her phone at my phone, that would... Well, and like I said, this is not me.

I'm just saying I gave him out the scene. You know, and there's other things that they're still working on. I don't want you to give the impression that this is all done and over with. It feels like it's pointing to me. It feels like, well, I'm not trying to come across as it's you. I mean, what I want to say, I can't. And this time, the other, yeah, the normal couple that has, you know, things going on. And I'm the first to admit that we are a normal married couple who love each other and disagree.

Yeah, I've never laid in hand fun of her. I've never screamed after, I don't even know what neighbor said this. I said, well, like I said, I say that because I want you to know that, you know, maybe it was like what I'm saying happens. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And it's not sitting here saying like, you know, that's not what I'm trying to say here at all. You know, like I said, I just wanted to sit down to give you the update on what I know at this point. and then also like explain the process of like to get these phones downloaded and if there's something on there

you know what I mean have these prod a lot here you know it makes me wonder my curiosity what would drive somebody to pick your house and a gunshot right you know what I'm telling you Okay. No. No. No. The only two of me is a guy that shows it that lifewise, and I'm not saying it's them, but just the only.

They pointed out to us, they're in the bedroom, in the master bedroom that I am hopeful will give us some more answers from my explanation of the gun being fired in that area. So by the end of week one, investigators were beginning to test Caleb's story against the physical evidence, right? Ashley appeared to have been shot while sleeping. The garage door, the alleged intruder supposedly used, did not appear to Morgan to have been forced from the outside. A gun normally hidden inside Kayla's truck was missing. And the console where he kept it was open, but Caleb was also cooperating.

He voluntarily sat through interviews, provided information about his firearms, and pointed investigators toward other possible leads. And that's where Week 1. ended, with Morgan still on the stand and another much longer interview with Caleb waiting for the jury when court resumes on Monday. We will be following the rest of the trial, bringing you week one, week two, week three as it continues. Thank you for your support as we cover this case. Thank you for subscribing. Thank you for following and thank you for liking this episode. As I always say, may justice be served.

Thank you.