Pastor Heads to Trial for Wife's Shocking Murder — Everything We Know

We are just days away from the start of what's expected to be one of the biggest trials of the year. Step forward. Do you want evidence? What's that? Turn around and perform, sir. Caleb Flynn, a husband, a father, a former American Idol contestant, and a man of faith. This episode is brought to you by TXU Energy. For the first time ever, Texans have an energy plan that combines free nights all year with daytime summer savings. It's called Free Nights in Cool Summer. You get free nights every night, all year long, plus a 25% bonus toward your daytime use all summer. It's a first-of-its-kind plan created for how Texans actually use energy. Discover how much more you could save with Free Nights in Cool Summer. TXU Energy. Energy for everything. Visit TXU.com for more information. Rep number 10004. is accused of a crime that is nothing short of evil. My wife, she's got two shots to her head. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Flynn is accused of killing his wife as their daughters slept close by inside their home. What we just learned from court and what Flynn's defense may be as he faces the possibility of life behind bars. We're on the case presented by Law & Crime. I'm Chris Stewart. Now, Caleb and Ashley, they lived in Tip City, Ohio. It's north of Dayton. They lived on a cul-de-sac. Caleb's LinkedIn says that he was the VP of sales for a flooring company in Tip City. He and Ashley were both very active in their church. Caleb was once a pastor. He played in the church band. Ashley taught at a local school. She coached middle school volleyball. But on the night of February 16th, that seemingly perfect suburban cul-de-sac life was shattered. Hank joined BJ's Wholesale Club the day he became a father of 30. I coach football. Now, Coach Hank saves up to 25% off grocery store prices. 30 pounds of pasta, 3 cases of protein bars, 75 sports drinks. And that's just pregame. He knows teamwork, and BJ's knows savings. This is your home, Coach. Home of the Save. Join for just $20 at bjs.com slash mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for 6 months. Open soon. Limited time offer, new members only. BJ's. Home of the Save. Should we have him? Hey, look at this. Watch out. Oh no, it's pink. Do you see any blood along the top at all? Hey, is someone watching him? Somebody needs to be watching him. Thank you. Are there any firearms in this house? I have a shotgun. Okay. Is that okay? A shotgun and a.22 and, like, a pellet gun. Okay, where? And I have a handgun in my truck. Okay. In the glove box. Okay. Okay. Now, in the body cam video that has been released by police, they blur what officers see when they go into the house, but they keep the audio going, and you can hear what they say. Police are trying to gather the facts at this point, but you can see that they do notice that the center console of Caleb's truck is open, and there's also a door that is open in the garage. Now, Caleb says that he keeps a gun in the glove box of his car. Police then work their way through the house and into the room of the Flynn daughters, who appear to still be asleep. Sit down on the couch, okay? Okay. Is this just a room? Is this just a room? Okay. Okay. Clear. Where did Corey go? What's that room? Here. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Are the girls okay? Yes. The girls are okay. Okay. You're good. Sit down. Hold on. Do I call my. Do I call anybody? Hold on, honey. Okay. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Do you want to let him. Is there a dog here in the county? Is he gone? No. Okay. I can't. Is he in my. Can you call him back? Can you call him back, please? Hang on for a few minutes. Corey, do we want to let him call any family or no? Yes. I don't. Yes. He's okay to call family, but they cannot come inside this house. Okay. Okay. You're probably shaking. Do you want me to name? Yep. Her name and phone number. Okay. They don't call us sometimes. Okay. Are the kids okay? Yes. Both the girls were. They, like, woke up when we walked in. I don't want to do one right there. I don't want to ask. I don't want to ask him questions right now. That's fine. That's fine. Wait for a few minutes. Sit down, honey, okay? Stay seated. Stay seated. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Are you able to tell me her information? Yeah? I know this is really difficult, okay? What's your name? Caleb. I'm sorry, okay? Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. You can call family, by the way. They just can't come in this house. They're not going to be able to come, like, near the house or anything. Like that. I'm going to call it mom. My parents live in Minnesota. Okay, before you do that, can you do me a favor, okay? What's her first and last name? Police then cut audio, and they seem to redact what Caleb says about his wife and what may have happened inside the house. Now, whatever is said there, that is so critical to what is going to play out over the next couple of weeks during a trial. Up to this point, we don't know. If police have a motive in this case, and even though they have redacted that part of the body cam video, there are some specifics that you learn in the 911 call. Let's play that. Okay, I need you to just take a deep breath for me. Okay, they're getting to you as quick as they can. Is that door still open? Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Okay. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Is she breathing at all? I don't think so. Okay. If you are comfortable, I want you to go and find the cloth, and I want you to put a cloth on that gunshot wound, okay? Like a towel? Yes, like a towel, but do not apply direct pressure to it. Just put it on that blood wound, okay? Okay. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I need you to just take a deep breath for me, okay? Okay. Okay. Okay. Just get that cloth, and I want you to put it on that wound, but don't apply direct pressure to it, okay? They're coming to you as quick as they can, okay? I just laid it on her head. After about 45 minutes in. You get free nights every night all year long, plus a 25% bonus toward your daytime use all summer. It's a first of its kind, and plan created for how Texans actually use energy. TXU Energy. Rep number 10004. Tammy regularly hauls stuff to her kids at college. That's why she shops at BJ's Wholesale Club, saving up to 25% off grocery store prices. Beef jerky, microwave meals, laundry pods, even they can't screw up. Have you met my kids? And with BJ's gas, she gets there for less. They call me the road warrior. It's your home, road warrior mom. Home of the save. Join for just $20 at BJ's.com slash mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months. Open soon. BJ's, home of the save. Inside the home, Caleb Flynn makes his way outside, and he seems to be embraced by either a family member or a close friend. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't Do you want to sit down on the steps? If you have a blanket, can you get him a blanket? Yep. Yep. I'll get you a blanket. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. - Who walked around in the back? - What's that? The deputies? - Deputies. - None of us have walked around in the back? - No. - Do you not want us to? - I don't think, I don't. - What? - I was gonna wait till dogs got here. We have two dogs. - Okay. - I just had them go around and put up, I don't know, Colton might have went around some to put up the tape. - Yeah. - If that would have been it. - Yeah, okay. - I had the choice that they could bring a drone, but we don't know what they were looking for. - I heard the dog, I heard it, and I froze, and then I ran, and the door to the garage was wide open, and then I. - How long were you, how long were you here before we got here? Like 20 seconds? - Yeah, not too long. - Okay. - 'Cause I think I seen your guys' lights. - Yeah, no cars came driving out of here? - No, I didn't see nothing. - Wait, I didn't see anything either, all down high, I didn't see anything. - And I came, first run, I came in, I started going fast, and they said. - Yeah, yeah. - I hit my siren. - Oh yeah. - And then I turned the siren off and raised down, so I'm not scaring no one. - Yeah. - And then, I couldn't find it the first time. - Well that, that, the back, that back to side door is what's open. - It's open still. - Yeah, it is. - In the hours after Ashley Flynn was killed, police said they were working a theory that this was a burglary that turned deadly. I mean, that is what Caleb was claiming happened, according to the 911 call. Police say they put drones in the air, they had dogs on the ground, but they could not find a sign of an intruder. I do wanna show you this. This is a map of the Flynn's neighborhood. And this is also something that could be really key in a trial, because you can see that there's some open spaces behind where their house is, the open fields there that were searched by law enforcement, looking for a suspect that would have done this. But also it's key to note in this cul-de-sac neighborhood, there is one way in, and there is one way out. And you have to wonder what any sort of doorbell camera might've seen, whether there was another vehicle coming in. Could the killer have come from outside the home? Police though, they believe that the killer was inside the house and it allegedly was Caleb Flynn. Now, one thing you notice as you continue to watch this body cam video is that it does appear that pretty early on, police seem somewhat suspicious of Caleb. - Everything? - Yeah, the back door is open. There's like a door on the side right there, it's open. - So you guys cleared the garage there then? - Yeah, we didn't, the truck, the center console of the truck's open, and that's where he said he keeps his gun, so. - Who shot him? - The wife. - In the same room with him? - Yeah, in her bed, in the bed. - Can you hear him? - I haven't talked to him. Corey's the one that's talked to him. - Here's body cam video. - Here's the body cam video of an officer talking to an EMT about what he saw when he arrived. - I know you're not certified, tell me this, how long you think she's been gone for? - Not long. - Okay, first thing I figured out, why in the hell, where was he at? 'Cause we got here about a third of a recall. - Yeah, I'm guessing, but not hours. - Okay. - But they'll be able to get her body temperature. - Okay. - And they will be able to tell you a time. - Okay. - It hasn't been five hours. - No. - Yeah, her color was still good. - Okay. - And that color was good. - Okay. - It was gray matter at the exit wound. - Yeah, I've seen her, I've seen her, I've met you, she's gone, but. - I don't have to get a name and date of birth, if you come by the station later. - Yeah, we'll get your stuff. - Or we can hang, we can hang out too. - Yeah, if you want, yeah. - We'll just hang out. - We're gonna be pretty much hanging out here too until the detectives get here. - Okay. - So. - Yeah. - Now it's possible at trial that Caleb Flynn's defense argues that police were zeroed in on their client during the critical hours when they could have been doing more, searching for a person who fled. Police definitely seem to have questions pretty early, but they say since Caleb is so hysterical, they're waiting for him to calm down and for a detective to arrive. Now here is the friend who is comforting Caleb, and Caleb outside, that person hasn't been identified, and they're just asking questions to police about what might've happened. - So it's just, it just happened? Did he just go to you? - Yeah, yeah. I would say probably 40 minutes ago now. - So stupid. - This episode is brought to you by TXU Energy. It's called Free Nights and Cool Summer. It's a first of its kind plan, created for how Texans actually use energy. Discover how much more you could save with Free Nights and Cool Summer. TXU Energy, energy for everything. Visit txu.com for more information, rep number 10004. - Tammy regularly hauls stuff to her kids at college. That's why she shops at BJ's Wholesale Club, 25% off grocery store prices. - Have you met my kids? - And with BJ's gas, she gets there for less. - They call me the road warrior. - This is your home, road warrior mom. Home of the save. Join for just $20 at bjs.com/mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months. Open soon, limited time offer, new members only. What's the rules you're saying, Tammy? - I'm trying to remember. - She's so mistaken, if you know, she didn't know. - She told me to say it on the couch and I would call her. I shouldn't have listened. - Tell my parents. - I think we know. - I think we know. - I think we know. Eventually, Caleb Flynn, wrapped in a blanket, is walked to a police car where the police say he voluntarily went to the station to answer some questions. This is the moment that Caleb Flynn was put under arrest and we talk about how shocked people seem to be in this community. The people who know Caleb Flynn personally, or at least thought they knew him personally, so shocked that he would be the person arrested. This is video of Caleb Flynn giving his DNA voluntarily to police. I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances, sir. Again, you can call me Will. What was your first name, sir? What was your last name? I'm going to try to get everything processed with that, and you know, we'll see what we can do about it as far as, like, getting it back to you as soon as possible. But, unfortunately, in this nation, it's kind of standard for us to, you know, collect everything. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to step out since you're doing your thing with him. If you need anything, just. Okay. All right. Pretty simple process, though. I'm sure Detective Morgan. Now I got one. Thank you. Kind of told you. So we for touch DNA for stuff left at the residents this would eliminate you like if that way if the crime lab they see it like okay now this matches the homeowner so we need or it doesn't so now we have this other profile we got to try to find out who that is so real simple sterile new packaging so if you just open your mouth and then I just put it in and I swirl it around on your cheek a couple times please spread your fingers then spread them thanks sir you put shirt on is there any injuries on you at all sorry I don't know much about the situation other than there's sounds like a home invasion and went bad or something like that so all right let me check with the detectives real quick if they need know if they would actually need your boxers if they do then I'll ask yeah you know hey do you need his boxers I don't think so okay you want to ask starters yes actually before you do that I forgot one last thing can I get a picture at the bottom of your feet thank you sir I appreciate it thank you sir I appreciate it thank you sir I appreciate it those are his new shoes yes okay uh so Mr. Flynn I know they took your your phone or you gave it to my sergeant um and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and he said yes he did and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to do with it and I want you to look at this this is what happened when Caleb Flynn made his first court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to say court appearance and the judge asked him if he had anything to say sorry I just want to take care of my daughters I'm not at risk a grand jury indicted Caleb Flynn on a grand jury indicted Caleb Flynn on a grand jury indicted Caleb Flynn on nearly a dozen charges in the death nearly a dozen charges in the death nearly a dozen charges in the death of his wife Ashley Caleb's pleaded not of his wife Ashley Caleb's pleaded not of his wife Ashley Caleb's pleaded not guilty to those 11 charges guilty to those 11 charges guilty to those 11 charges Caleb heads to trial accused of Caleb heads to trial accused of Caleb heads to trial accused of aggravated murder aggravated murder aggravated murder and three counts of murder in the death and three counts of murder in the death and three counts of murder in the death of Ashley he is also facing two counts of Ashley he is also facing two counts of Ashley he is also facing two counts of felonious assault three counts of of felonious assault three counts of of felonious assault three counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of intimidation of an attorney victim or intimidation of an attorney victim or intimidation of an attorney victim or witness in a criminal case it has not witness in a criminal case it has not witness in a criminal case it has not been released been released been released who authorities believe caleb flynn who authorities believe caleb flynn who authorities believe caleb flynn allegedly intimidated now there are allegedly intimidated now there are allegedly intimidated now there are also some firearm specifications also some firearm specifications also some firearm specifications attached to the murder charges in the attached to the murder charges in the attached to the murder charges in the news release that was initially sent out news release that was initially sent out news release that was initially sent out authorities in tip city wrote quote if authorities in tip city wrote quote if authorities in tip city wrote quote if convicted flynn will serve life in prison convicted flynn will serve life in prison convicted flynn will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole now we without the possibility of parole now we without the possibility of parole now we have been following several hearings have been following several hearings have been following several hearings over the last year involving caleb flynn over the last year involving caleb flynn over the last year involving caleb flynn but a lot of the evidence in this case but a lot of the evidence in this case but a lot of the evidence in this case has yet to be unveiled publicly which is has yet to be unveiled publicly which is has yet to be unveiled publicly which is going to make this trial something that going to make this trial something that going to make this trial something that so many people i think will be keeping a so many people i think will be keeping a so many people i think will be keeping a close eye on now as far as flynn's close eye on now as far as flynn's daughters who are potential witnesses in daughters who are potential witnesses in daughters who are potential witnesses in this case in july a judge ruled if they this case in july a judge ruled if they this case in july a judge ruled if they are called to testify are called to testify are called to testify they will have to confront their dad they will have to confront their dad they will have to confront their dad face to face the prosecution had asked face to face the prosecution had asked face to face the prosecution had asked for protections to be put in place for for protections to be put in place for for protections to be put in place for the children including a screen that the children including a screen that the children including a screen that would block their view of their dad would block their view of their dad would block their view of their dad caleb but the defense objected and the caleb but the defense objected and the judge agreed so if those girls testify judge agreed so if those girls testify judge agreed so if those girls testify they will have to do it with a clear they will have to do it with a clear they will have to do it with a clear line of sight to their dad now we did line of sight to their dad now we did line of sight to their dad now we did learn yesterday at flynn's hearing that learn yesterday at flynn's hearing that learn yesterday at flynn's hearing that courtroom cameras will not be allowed courtroom cameras will not be allowed courtroom cameras will not be allowed to have juvenile witnesses recorded on to have juvenile witnesses recorded on to have juvenile witnesses recorded on video their audio though video their audio though video their audio though can be recorded the other motion was can be recorded the other motion was can be recorded the other motion was about whether members of ashley's about whether members of ashley's family will be allowed in the courtroom family will be allowed in the courtroom family will be allowed in the courtroom for the trial even if they're going to for the trial even if they're going to for the trial even if they're going to be called as witnesses typically be called as witnesses typically be called as witnesses typically potential witnesses are not allowed to potential witnesses are not allowed to potential witnesses are not allowed to hear testimony outside of their own hear testimony outside of their own hear testimony outside of their own because it could theoretically impact the because it could theoretically impact the because it could theoretically impact the story that they tell the jury and that story that they tell the jury and that story that they tell the jury and that can be seen as unfair to the defendant can be seen as unfair to the defendant can be seen as unfair to the defendant the state is asking for permission to the state is asking for permission to allow ashley's mom sister and brother-in-law allow ashley's mom sister and brother-in-law allow ashley's mom sister and brother-in-law in the courtroom right now her in the courtroom right now her in the courtroom right now her dad is designated the victim dad is designated the victim dad is designated the victim representative who would be allowed in representative who would be allowed in representative who would be allowed in the courtroom but the courtroom but the courtroom but the prosecution wants more family members the prosecution wants more family members the prosecution wants more family members they want this episode is brought to you they want this episode is brought to you they want this episode is brought to you by txu energy for the first time ever by txu energy for the first time ever by txu energy for the first time ever texans have an energy plan that combines texans have an energy plan that combines texans have an energy plan that combines free nights all year with daytime free nights all year with daytime free nights all year with daytime summer savings it's called free nights summer savings it's called free nights summer savings it's called free nights and cool summer you get free nights and cool summer you get free nights and cool summer you get free nights every night all year long plus a 25 every night all year long plus a 25 every night all year long plus a 25 bonus toward your daytime use bonus toward your daytime use bonus toward your daytime use all summer it's a first of its kind plan all summer it's a first of its kind plan all summer it's a first of its kind plan created for how texans actually use created for how texans actually use created for how texans actually use energy discover how much more you could energy discover how much more you could energy discover how much more you could save with free nights and cool summer txu save with free nights and cool summer txu save with free nights and cool summer txu energy energy for everything visit txu energy energy for everything visit txu energy energy for everything visit txu dot com for more information rep number dot com for more information rep number dot com for more information rep number one zero zero zero four tammy regularly one zero zero zero four tammy regularly one zero zero zero four tammy regularly hauls stuff to her kids at college hauls stuff to her kids at college hauls stuff to her kids at college that's why she shops at bj's wholesale that's why she shops at bj's wholesale that's why she shops at bj's wholesale club saving up to 25 off grocery store club saving up to 25 off grocery store club saving up to 25 off grocery store prices beef jerky microwave meals prices beef jerky microwaves prices beef jerky microwaves at bjs.com mesquite and save 10 cents at bjs.com mesquite and save 10 cents at bjs.com mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months open soon per gallon for six months open soon per gallon for six months open soon limited time offer new members only limited time offer new members only limited time offer new members only bj's home of the save i want that to be bj's home of the save i want that to be bj's home of the save i want that to be extended out the defense is pushing back extended out the defense is pushing back extended out the defense is pushing back on allowing those members of the family on allowing those members of the family on allowing those members of the family whether they would be allowed beyond whether they would be allowed beyond whether they would be allowed beyond when they would be called to testify when they would be called to testify when they would be called to testify today the judge issued a ruling that today the judge issued a ruling that today the judge issued a ruling that witnesses will not be allowed to come witnesses will not be allowed to come witnesses will not be allowed to come into the courtroom before they testify into the courtroom before they testify into the courtroom before they testify the judge cited the massive public the judge cited the massive public the judge cited the massive public interest in media coverage in the case interest in media coverage in the case interest in media coverage in the case he said potential witnesses will also he said potential witnesses will also he said potential witnesses will also not be able to view any coverage of the not be able to view any coverage of the not be able to view any coverage of the case or live streaming of it case or live streaming of it case or live streaming of it before they testify opening statements before they testify opening statements before they testify opening statements are expected as early as thursday are expected as early as thursday are expected as early as thursday afternoon afternoon afternoon long crimes anjanette levy host of crime long crimes anjanette levy host of crime long crimes anjanette levy host of crime fix is expected to be in the courtroom fix is expected to be in the courtroom fix is expected to be in the courtroom during this trial during this trial during this trial and we are going to be streaming it as and we are going to be streaming it as and we are going to be streaming it as well that will do it for on the case well that will do it for on the case well that will do it for on the case presented by law and crime i'm chris presented by law and crime i'm chris presented by law and crime i'm chris stewart i'll see you next time