Mistress Speaks Out on Ultimatum Tied to 'Idol' Star's Wife's Murder

WHO:

Fox News - Caleb Flynn, an "American Idol" contestant, is accused of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn.

Fox News - Alleigha Botner, Flynn's ex-mistress, testified in his murder trial.

WHAT:

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn's comments about wanting his wife dead occurred at least once a month leading up to the murder.

Fox News - Botner stated that Flynn expressed a desire to kill his wife, saying, "I want her dead and gone," and asked her, "What can I do?" to which she responded, "Kill her."

CNN - Botner testified that Flynn told her he was "filing [for divorce] from Ashley" on February 14, 2026, and was "actually leaving her this time."

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn had previously shown her a gun he kept in the center console of his truck, although she could not recall its appearance.

CNN - Botner testified that she and Flynn exchanged roughly 107,000 messages over about a year, averaging nearly 300 messages per day.

Fox News - Botner testified that she deleted messages after Ashley's death because she believed investigators would search Flynn's phone and discover the affair.

Fox News - Botner stated that she initially lied to the FBI about her relationship with Flynn during her first interview on February 20, stating, "I was selfishly afraid that my reputation was going to be ruined and that I was going to lose my job."

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn expressed a desire to kill his wife, stating, "I need her to die, to cheat again, to leave," in a message from February 2025.

CNN - Botner testified that Flynn told her, "What can I do?" to which she responded, "Kill her," referring to his wife.

CNN - Botner testified that Flynn said, "If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat," in a message from May 16, 2025.

CNN - Botner testified that she and Flynn discussed getting matching Harry Potter lightning bolt tattoos during their relationship.

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn told her he hated Ashley and viewed her as a "roommate," stating he remained in the marriage because of their two daughters.

Fox News - Botner testified that she sent Flynn a message on January 11, stating, "It’s time for me to put my big girl pants on, be strong and officially move on from you and us."

Fox News - Botner testified that she received a message from a church congregant about Ashley's death, which included a news story, leading her to feel it was a "coincidence" that Ashley died the day Flynn planned to divorce her.

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn sent her a message on February 15, 2026, stating, "It’s kind of crazy. I’m not scared tomorrow. I mean, I’m not looking forward to it, and it’s about to be a crap-fest here moving forward, but I’m not scared of it."

CNN - Botner testified that she used ChatGPT on February 15, 2026, to research whether messages documenting the affair could be permanently deleted and sent Flynn screenshots of the results.

CNN - Botner testified that she was 21 years old when she met Flynn at their Ohio church in 2022, and that their romantic relationship began in March 2024 and continued until early 2026.

CNN - Botner testified that Ashley Flynn discovered the affair in August 2025 while on a cruise for their 15-year wedding anniversary.

Fox News - Alleigha Botner testified that Caleb Flynn expressed a desire to kill his wife, stating, "At first it was, ‘I want her dead. I wish she was gone.’"

Fox News - Botner recalled Flynn telling her, "One night he was up really late thinking about — told me that he was thinking about ways to kill her."

CNN - Botner testified that Flynn sent her a message on August 22, 2025, stating, "I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail."

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn referred to his wife by the crude codename “douche” in their messages.

Fox News - Botner stated that Flynn told her, "It didn’t happen the way we thought it would, did it?" after Ashley's death.

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn expressed a desire to kill his wife, stating, "If I could kill her and not go to jail, I would."

Fox News - Flynn is accused of fatally shooting Ashley Flynn in the back of the head on February 16, 2026.

Fox News - Botner testified that she gave Flynn an ultimatum to leave Ashley by January 11, 2026, or she would end their relationship.

Fox News - Flynn allegedly told Botner on February 14, 2026, that he was "filing [for divorce] from Ashley" and was "actually leaving her this time."

Fox News - Botner stated that she and Flynn exchanged roughly 107,000 messages over about a year.

WHERE:

Fox News - The murder occurred in the couple’s home in Tipp City, Ohio.

Fox News - Botner and Flynn met at Christian Life Center, a church.

WHEN:

Fox News - Ashley Flynn was found dead on February 16, 2026.

Fox News - Botner testified that her relationship with Flynn began in March 2024 and became sexual around May 2024.

Fox News - Botner sent Flynn screenshots about deleting messages at 5:47 p.m. on February 15, 2026, hours before Ashley was killed.

WHY:

Fox News - Botner testified that she felt a sense of loathing towards Flynn, saying, "I hate him," because she believes he murdered his wife.

Fox News - Botner testified that she feared the affair could surface during a divorce and cost her her job.

Fox News - Botner stated she felt a sense of loathing towards Flynn, saying, "I hate him," because she believes he murdered his wife.

HOW:

Fox News - Botner admitted to deleting messages after Ashley's death because she believed investigators would search Flynn's phone and discover the affair.

CNN - Botner admitted to lying to the FBI in her first interview on February 20, stating, "I was selfishly afraid that my reputation was going to be ruined and that I was going to lose my job."

Fox News - Botner testified that Flynn showed her a gun he kept in the center console of his truck.

Fox News - Botner admitted to advising Flynn on how to delete data from his devices multiple times, including the night before Ashley was murdered.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 10:57 UTC)

In a recent testimony, Botner revealed that Flynn expressed a desire to kill his wife, stating, "I want her dead and gone," and even asked her what he could do, to which she responded, "Kill her." She also testified that Flynn told her he was filing for divorce from Ashley on February 14, 2026, claiming he was "actually leaving her this time," and mentioned that they exchanged roughly 107,000 messages over about a year, averaging nearly 300 messages per day. Additionally, Botner admitted to deleting messages after Ashley's death, fearing that investigators would search Flynn's phone and uncover their affair, and she initially lied to the FBI about their relationship during her first interview, citing concerns for her reputation and job security.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 01:20 UTC)

In a recent testimony, Botner revealed that Flynn expressed a chilling desire to kill his wife, stating, "I need her to die, to cheat again, to leave," in a message from February 2025. She recounted a conversation where Flynn asked, "What can I do?" and she responded, "Kill her," along with his claim that he would do it in a heartbeat if he could escape hell. Botner also shared her feelings about moving on from Flynn, mentioning a message she sent on January 11, where she declared it was time to "put my big girl pants on" and officially end their relationship.

(UPDATED September 24, 2026 23:00 UTC)

In a recent testimony, Botner revealed that Flynn sent her a message on February 15, 2026, expressing his feelings about an upcoming situation, stating, "It’s kind of crazy. I’m not scared tomorrow." She also admitted to using ChatGPT on the same day to research whether messages documenting their affair could be permanently deleted, and she sent Flynn screenshots of the results, all while acknowledging that she deleted messages after Ashley's death, fearing that investigators would uncover the affair.

(UPDATED September 24, 2026 22:03 UTC)

In a dramatic testimony, Alleigha Botner revealed that Caleb Flynn expressed a chilling desire to kill his wife, stating he had been up late contemplating ways to do so. She recounted a message Flynn sent her on August 22, 2025, where he admitted to crying and thinking of ways to kill her without getting caught, and referred to his wife using a crude codename in their exchanges. Botner, who admitted to lying to the FBI out of fear for her own reputation, expressed her deep loathing for Flynn, declaring, "I hate him," as she believes he murdered his wife.

(UPDATED September 24, 2026 11:58 UTC)

Caleb Flynn, an "American Idol" contestant, is facing serious accusations as he stands trial for the murder of his wife, Ashley Flynn, who was found dead in their Tipp City, Ohio home on February 16, 2026. In court, his ex-mistress, Alleigha Botner, testified that Flynn had expressed a desire to kill Ashley, even stating, "If I could kill her and not go to jail, I would," and she revealed that they exchanged around 107,000 messages over the course of their relationship. Botner also recounted how she had given Flynn an ultimatum to leave Ashley by January 11, 2026, and admitted to advising him on how to delete data from his devices, including the night before Ashley's tragic death.