American Idol alum Caleb Flynn’s former mistress has taken the witness stand in his murder trial, where the prosecution alleges he killed his wife, Ashley Flynn.
Video footage livestreamed from the courtroom on Sept. 24 captured Alleigha Botner, 24, testifying about her relationship with Caleb. She openly stated her changed feelings toward him, declaring, “I hate him.” Botner acknowledged that she once loved Caleb but explained that her feelings shifted because she believes he murdered his wife.
Prosecutors contend that Caleb shot Ashley in their Tipp City residence on Feb. 16 and then staged the scene to mimic a home invasion. He faces one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and three counts of tampering with evidence. Caleb has pleaded not guilty. While he admitted to the affair, his defense team argues he intended to divorce Ashley, not harm her.
During her testimony, Botner revealed that Caleb justified the affair by claiming Ashley had allegedly cheated on him two years earlier. Prosecutors assert that Caleb killed his wife to pursue a life with Botner. They presented over 100,000 alleged text messages exchanged between the pair, including messages where Caleb reportedly expressed “hatred” for Ashley and a desire to kill her.
Caleb and Ashley share two young daughters. Ashley’s sister, Kayla Keyt, testified on Sept. 22 about how the girls reacted upon learning of their father’s affair before their mother’s death. “They were mostly brokenhearted for Mommy,” Keyt stated. “When we told them who it was, the oldest said, ‘I’m not surprised.’”
Botner previously served as a worship leader at Ohio’s Christian Life Center, where she and Caleb sang together. A spokesperson for the church told Oxygen that the congregation had “no knowledge of any alleged inappropriate relationship” between them. According to the spokesperson, Botner voluntarily resigned from her position without offering any explanation or comments regarding her decision.
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