Pastor's Mistress Spills Secrets in Murder Trial — Everything We Know

"I'm sorry I've hurt you. I was up to four AM last night crying and literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail." We've heard the disturbing text sent by Caleb Flynn, but what about the recipient? "I just wish I didn't say this because I want to kill her Caleb." So how does Caleb Flynn's mistress feel about her former lover now? "I hate him because I believe that he might hurt his wife." This is Scandal, presented by Lawn Cron. I'm Sierra Gillespie. Former American idol contestant, pastor, father of two daughters, and seemingly loving husband Caleb Flynn, is now on trial. He's facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of his wife, Ashley Flynn, who was found shot and killed inside their Ohio home back in February. February 16th, to be exact. "What statement did he make about February 16th, 2026?" "He said it'll be a day I never forget." So who was Caleb texting that message to? Well, his former mistress, a woman by the name of Aliyah Botner, who he met at church. "Did you start with little things when it grew like cancer?" Aliyah is arguably the prosecution's star witness in the case against Caleb Flynn, who's accused of murdering his 37-year-old wife, Ashley. Caleb's defense says an intruder broke into the family's tip-city Ohio home and shot and killed Ashley, but the prosecution has another theory. They believe Caleb is the one responsible for murder and alleged his motive, was Aliyah Botner. "You're going to hear a theme in all the messages from Caleb's mistress. Caleb stating he hated Ashley, wanted her gone, wanted her dead, wanted to be free of her, and wanted a future with his mistress instead. If his plan to murder Ashley and stage it, as if an intruder did it, were to succeed, Caleb too would be a victim. He'd get to keep his mistress, have his daughter's all the time." From the time of Ashley's death onward, there were rumors that Caleb was allegedly entangled in a torrid affair, and Aliyah's testimony confirmed all of that, and more. CLC is Christian Life Center in Dayton, Ohio. Caleb was a worship leader and musical pastor there, while Aliyah was an intern. They met when she was only 20 years old. And it turned into texting every day, and my heart never thought it would be anything more than that. But towards the end of that month, March 24, Caleb would ask to, it started with small things, he would ask to come over just to hug me. And then he would come over, he would help me, and then he'd wait. At this point, Aliyah knew Caleb was married. "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 and told me that she cheated on him. And he told me that he only sees her as a roommate." By May of 2024, their relationship escalated. "If you knew the defendant was married, how did you morally justify his 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 were just living as roommates. At first I was strong, and I said, "This is an okay, we shouldn't do this. That's to 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. "Where would you often be during the day to engage in sexual conduct?" "My apartment." "My place was the parking lot to Pullway in Vandalia." Alia read many texts about her love for Caleb, and we'll get into all of that, but it seems she also wanted to clear up something first. "How would you describe your feelings for the defendant today?" "Okay, I hate him." Have you ever felt differently about him? "Yes." "When? And how would you feel?" "When we were in a relationship, and I thought, I felt this in love." "Why the change from love to hate?" "Because I believe that you like it a lot." Back when they were together, Alia testified that Caleb told her he didn't want to leave his wife because of his two daughters. But he only saw Ashley as a roommate after she allegedly cheated on him a few years prior. "In your groupy communication, tell often to the defendant expressed negative feelings about Ashley." "Just about every day." "Can you describe the nature of those expressions?" "Can you say to the senator that he wanted her dead?" "No, no." "If you would say. " "So, some of the awful things that I mean, um, the ones that I hate hating her and wanting her dead is kind of the same thing." To show their devotion to one another, Alia and Caleb even got matching tattoos. "What's the meaning behind the tattoo?" "When we first came March of 2024, when we first came on, we were texting every day that month. One of the first things that we bonded over was Harry Potter, so we got a lightning bolt." "Where's your tattoo located?" "Where's the defendant's matching tattoo?" "It has armpit." "Why it didn't his armpit?" "He had one actually to see." Most of what we know about Caleb and Alia's relationship comes from texts. At times, they'd proclaim their love for each other, like in this video. "But I wanted to show you that I am home alone. I'm not sure if you want to see the puppies put." "Can anybody's listening? I love Alia Botnar. I love her and I'm home alone." "Bersie, do you love Alia? Do I see Alia? Do I see Alia?" "Please continue your assignment." "There he is, you won't see him." Other times, they talk about a planned future together. "The picture of my hand and I drew a ring on it." "And what were you discussing in the messages around that photo?" "I was discussing how I wanted him to be a husband. I wanted him to get married." When it came time for a cross-exam, a romantic song Caleb wrote Alia was even played for the jury. "We were just friends. That's what we said. That first time I saw you, the room disappeared." "Love at first sight, even though I was scared." "They said time isn't the thing. Life's not fair, but your love felt like home. Like I'd be long there." "I lost its meaning the moment you were long." For as much as we learned about Alia in the testimony, we learned a lot about Caleb. For instance, the multiple texts he sent Alia about wanting to kill Ashley. "I said what can I do?" "19,701." "And he said kill her." Again? "He said on March 15th, 2025, I'm sorry, gosh, I'm sorry, I want her dead and going." And again. "I'm sorry to suck because 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 hateful I feel." "When he said if I could literally kill her and not go to hell, who was he talking about?" "Ashley." But Caleb wasn't the only person saying things like this. "I just wish I didn't say this." "There was a message said." "I mean it says I want to kill her. You said that. Me. Next message. I said it so bad. Next message. He said that makes two of us. There are so many texts in this case. Prosecutors say more than 100,000 between Caleb and Alia. And if you want a closer look at those texts and all the documents in this case, you're in luck. For behind every major scandal is a paper trail that the public rarely gets to see. If you haven't heard yet, you can go beyond the headlines with the case files on the long crime plus app. This is where you get direct access to the raw evidence. We're talking uncensored body camera recordings, crime scene images, video recordings of interrogations, and so much more. You can analyze the facts and uncover the truth for yourself. Plus, you get ad-free streaming of all of your favorite long crime and court TV shows. And right now we have a special offer with my promo code. It's scandal fall. Get your first three months of long crime plus for just $2.99 a month. That's 50% off the regular monthly price. But in my opinion, reading through Caleb and Alia's texts, a clear pattern emerges. Caleb continues to tell Alia he wants to be with her and that he's going to leave Ashley. I think what I'm willing to sacrifice is my daughter's ¼ million dollar salary job, a place to live, possibly a church that I serve at. Public shame and humiliation and way more. Alia, that's what I'm willing to sacrifice. I said I'm October 2nd, it's simple Caleb before the day fast is over. You leave her on yours again forever. I said on October 6th, Caleb, I want you to leave her right now. Me leaving through and my daughter's lives and yet I will still do it. A deadline for this escape plan is made and then broken. Like for example, after Caleb went on a cruise with Ashley to celebrate their 15-year anniversary. While on board, he sent Alia this voice note. That was wrong for going on a cruise. That was wrong for hurting you. And I'm really crying in front of thousands of people without care. I'm sorry for hurting you. It's time for everything. And I hope you have a great day today. But for Alia, it wasn't enough. After the cruise, he told me that he was going to find a way to leave her. That he was going to divorce her. So that's time. I mean, the whole time, I knew what we were doing was wrong. But at the time I was done being with someone who was married. And so I told him if you don't leave her by this specific date, then I can't do this anymore. And he would get to that date and it wouldn't happen because he said he has all hurt his girls. Did he ever meet any of those deadlines? No. Did the comment time in January of 2026 when you told the defendant you were done waiting? Yes. What did you tell him? I told him it was his last chance if he didn't leave her by, I think it was January 11th. Then I'm going to move out my life and live a life of purity. And that I was going to be completely done. But these deadlines kept coming and going. I said on December 9th, if you don't leave her in 14 days, we cannot be this way ever again. I said December 31st, Caleb, what's it going to be? Are you following through with leaving her or not? Seriously, let me know immediately, I need to know right now. 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 prayed for. You don't want me enough, and I just have to accept that. It's time for me to put my big real pants on, be strong and officially move on from you and us. I desperately wish this all could have been different. But here's what really stood out to me. Caleb bookmarked a day way in advance. February 16th, 2026. This is the day that Ashley was murdered, but these texts were sent before that. On the evening of February 15th, 2026, how did you continue to communicate with the defendants? Can I include me? What was he telling you? That he was going to divorce on the next day. What statements did he make about February 16th, 2026? He said it'll be a day I never forget. Did he say it's happening? He didn't say it's happening to the divorce. Did he say actions will come tomorrow? Yes. What did you understand actions tomorrow to me? A divorce. I said I need both. Do you know that you need to do this? Do you 100% notice the right decision? He said, "Okay. Actions will come tomorrow. Words will never not be scared to do this." I'm sorry. That's weird. I'll never not be scared to do this as I never want to hurt my daughters. That will always be there. But this month away from you has terrified me beyond belief. February 16th, day I'll never forget. I said, "You're about to be free." He said, "I choose you, Alia. You're more than enough. Good night." I said, "Good night, praying now." He said, "Thank you, praying for you as well. Good night." But tomorrow didn't bring a divorce. Instead, it brought chilling news. I received a random direct message on Instagram from a random congregant. He goes to CLC. And what did you learn from that message? He said that 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. Did you send any messages to the defendant? I did. Why did you say those messages? I said something like, "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, February 16th? Because I, since there was a murder involved, I knew that they would probably be searching a spell and if they saw any messages between us, anywhere, be afraid of what we found out. Later that day, Alia went to Ashley's parents' house. When she walked inside, she was greeted by Kayla. 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." Alia now lives in North Carolina. She's moved away from Ohio and the memory of Caleb Flynn, except for this pretty intense testimony. She's made it clear she believes that Caleb killed his wife. But Caleb, by the way, has pleaded not guilty, and he is innocent until proven guilty. However, it's going to be an uphill battle for the defense to combat Alia's testimony. And I want to take a closer look at that and the ins and outs of his affair with Alia. And for that, let's bring on our expert guest. Alright, today we've got a great guest on. It's a friend of my trial attorney Alexis Rosenberg, who you may know online as litigation Lex. Thank you for coming on with us today. Thank you so much for having me. It's always fun to be on with you, Sierra. Okay, so I wanted to talk to you specifically Alexis about this case because I know you're following it. And I have to have your take about this witness that is on the stand at the time we're recording here. Huge Alia Botner. She's the former mistress of the defendant Caleb Flynn. And I'm wondering, what are your thoughts? Do you think she's a star witness for the prosecution? Oh, she's definitely a star witness. I mean, she's just laying out there. I think one of the things that really jumped out at me that she said early on was, you know, she was going through these texts. How much she really was in love with him and, you know, how jealous. I mean, a lot of the responses from her were jealousy. But she says, right now, I hate him. And they asked why. And she said, I think he was the one that killed murdered his wife. Oh, my God. That stood out to me too because when you read their texts or when she reads them really to the jury and you hear them, it does sound like someone who was really in love. She talks about how he's her everything. She wants to marry him. How she'll be so distraught if they break up. And he's pulling on her heartstrings all the, it sounds like somebody who's in a relationship they want to be together. It sounds like all of that. But then to have the switch flipped. And for her to say she thinks that he murdered his wife, I have to ask about that too because the murder happened on February 16th. Leading up to that day, I believe it was the 15th, he was referencing February 16th as the day he's going to divorce his wife. He said, this will be a day I can never forget. What do you make of those texts? I mean, there are missions. I mean, hey, because they're also leading up to the other text messages. How he really didn't like her wanted her gone and would be willing to murder her. her if he wasn't going to go to hell or you know get arrested. So I mean it wasn't just one tax. This isn't one on. I mean we've all said things you know on tax so to people that we probably didn't mean that maybe we said when we were angry but this wasn't a one off. This was like text after text after text of just horrible things while they're being read by the mistress by the way with the wife's parents in the courtroom. Oh my god I know and we keep going to show the wife's parents throughout all of this because they're in the gallery and sometimes they're even referenced in these text messages. I cannot even imagine what it feels like to be them because the sister Ashley sister actually testified and said I trusted Caleb more than anything when people were saying oh he had a mistress or was having an affair. I was like you're tarnishing her name his name this is terrible only to find out and hear these texts the extent of their relationship. Okay so hold on I'm getting ahead of myself because I'm just kind of blown away by all of these texts. I have to go back to what you were saying. The prosecution laid out that there are over 100,000 tax messages that they exchanged which is a crazy amount and then it's multiple times that he references things like I would kill her if I wasn't going to hell. I would kill her if I didn't have to go to jail. Those texts alone to me are kind of like a smoking gun. What do you think? Oh I agree but also what's sounding is the way the mistress was responding at the time of these texts. I mean you would think there would have been some texts that oh of course don't do that or something of this effect or even she may have called the police or the wife but I think we also have to remember she was really young. I think she was 20 when they met they met at church and she's thinking he's this godfaring like older person and she really didn't have the experience to appropriately respond but these I think these texts are going to be the seal you know the nail that actually convicts him because they don't have a gun. They never found the weapon but I mean you have these texts these and what I am doing as admissions where he's actually telling her that he wants to do this and then ultimately she ends up dead and there's a lot of other things you know why was he on the couch and how did he know from the 911 that she'd been shot. I mean there's other supporting evidence but to have the mistress with this amount of text and the vialness of the names that he is calling the wife in essence while he's with her and I can understand why her parents are upset he worked for the parents they put him in a very lucrative position which also goes towards motive right because if he would have just divorced her I would say they would have fired him. Right I would assume you would and you brought up something really important in all of this she did Aliyah met him when she was 20 so they were dating and then this relationship when she was 21 and I guess when I was looking at her on the stand I'm like she right now she's 24 to me she looks older she looks like she could be a contemporary of mine but then when I think back to what I was like at age 21 I'm sure the texts that I wrote at the time they're not how I feel right now or there they would have said things I wish I wouldn't have so I guess we kind of have to keep that in mind the fact that he was in his late 30s this is a 21 year old we know that the frontal lobe isn't developed until you're what 25 he's a lot older there's a power dynamic situation so I guess we have to keep that in mind but a lot of viewers are asking me what on earth why isn't Aliyah charged here because she herself had to read a lot of text where she said I wish I could kill her what do you think about that the fact that she has not been charged well and she didn't do anything there has to be an act you know even for attempted murder there has to be an act and and we're not hearing all the texts we're getting the juicy ones and we're getting a lot of them but we're not hearing every single one of the texts that are going to you know that we're between the two of them so obviously the prosecution doesn't think that she was a complaint you know she knew about it she helped in planning it or anything like that based on the tax and like you said she's 20 so for her to say oh I wish you know the other woman wasn't part of the picture and that sort of thing and you know it's wrong and you want to say you want to really say and probably she's sitting there now like I probably should have called the police or maybe I should have called the wife and said hey you know this is being said about you but in the moment she she was in love and I think she just thought probably that he was going to get a divorce and I mean how many times have people said and they don't actually do it that they wish somebody was dead um so right you know but keep in mind maybe you shouldn't be saying that be a text yeah that's it's so true because we all say things in heat of the moment like oh I wish I was dead or I wish they were dead or I could kill you something like that when we don't actually mean it so I do wonder for her maybe she was just saying this in the heat of the moment the passion she was upset or annoyed or whatever and she loved this guy so she never thought a person that she loved who compares himself to a Christ-like figure would then commit the ultimate sin here allegedly which is murder and I guess that's part of it too I just have to ask the fact that he has a background as a pastor he met his mistress at church he his wife taught at Bible camp or Christian camp whatever it may be they were very a very religious household do you think jurors are gonna consider that because this is murder is a immortal sin well jurors are humans and but here's the thing I think maybe it's going to be the taken into consideration from the fact that everything that was coming out of his mouth was an accurate because even went on American Idol and was like well I love my wife and I'm you know I'm this Christian and I belong to the pastor I think at one point he was known as the singing pastor so I mean I do think they're gonna take that into consideration like how much can you actually believe that if you were really a Christian that you would allegedly off your wife or or have this affair to this magnitude because I mean it was like she's having conversation there was that video where they're in the house and they're talking these telling the dogs to love the mistress and you know the kids aren't there and that's also just we haven't gotten into that this allegedly this alleged murder happened when his small children I think they were what 6 and 11 or 7 and 11 were in the bedroom asleep I mean that is a hard thing to wrap your head around that even if you were gonna do this which is egregious and I'm not trying to minimize it but to have your children when you're this Christian who's this great father and what was his plan he's not gonna have this 20-year-old raised these girls and I mean the whole thing is it and I don't get surprised anymore right here we hear this all the time but it seems like you know this is pretty surprising when we hear these texts oh yeah the daughters too I know that Ashley sister testified and the girls were asking questions and so finally they told her you know your dad was having an affair this is what we know and the older daughter said when she found out it was a Leah that she wasn't surprised and that to me just pulled on my heartstrings the sound bite there and then on top of that he's again he's innocent until proven guilty he's facing these charges but he hasn't been convicted yet but if what the prosecution says is true and he really did pull the trigger you're right he did it in front of his two young daughters I mean not in front of but they were in the home at the time that is taking it to the next level and okay I guess I have to continue to ask about the text messages because that to me was the bulk of the testimony from a Leah now there were so many and you're right a lot of them were juicy in my opinion a lot we're incriminating but what do you think the prosecution's goal was here because it was honestly two days worth of her going through and reading every not every single but a lot of text between the two of them what do you think the thought process there was well there was a lot of like you said incriminating text messages because he it's showing not that and many people you know forget this you don't have to prove motive for a murder trial but gerry's do like a motive we like some sort of explanation as to the insanity of the situation so they went through and they're showing the disdain for the wife the dislike for the wife the the informing the mistress the deceit to the mistress that you know he's going to leave and they're going to he's going to file this divorce and then you know there was those text messages about the wife described in the right the name calling of the wife they were horrible it was horrible to listen to knowing that this this was the mother even if you didn't want to be with her anymore this is the mother of your children right and and it was repeated and then also like you brought up the I I don't want her here and if I could find a way for her not to be here and being not basically getting trouble I would do it in a heartbeat and and it wasn't a one-off it was over and over and over again and I think that's very very damaging I do not see how the defense is going to get past these text messages from that mistress. And I think you're right to and going through all of these texts. Not only are they incriminating, but also they show the timeline of their relationship between Caleb and Aliyah, how it started. He would come over, just drop by her house to give her a hug. Okay, that kind of is odd, but then it progressed and it became sexual. And then their texts, and then they're calling Ashley, these horrible, terrible names and over and over, he's saying, I wish she was dead. Or I want to kill her or I want to hire someone. So it kind of paints the picture for the jury. But as to what you just said, how on earth is the defense going to combat this when it comes time for their case in chief? I am I don't know. You tell me well, they don't have the gun. So I mean, there's one for team defense. They're going to have to go and attack the the forensic portion of it. But even that, like I mentioned before, the 911 call was a little odd. Too because I think he was flagged down the EMTs instead of being in there with her. But he says that that she has been shot, but that's my understanding. The testimony from the first responders where they weren't sure right away. If she had been shot, there was so much blood. It wasn't necessarily that they knew as soon as they saw her and they're trained people that they knew right away, whether she had been shot. Which also was interesting about those, the first responders was how calm and nice they were being to her. I had to reflect back and say this seemed like a police department that was being more attentive to detail and procedural and how they should be handling and opposed to either the most recent trial that we've been talking about, the Lindsey Clancy, which seems to be a different, entirely different situation. Yeah, it seems like this is a generalization, but based on the trials we've covered in Massachusetts versus Ohio, different techniques that we've seen in the cases we've covered, right? But as far as the defense, I'm really interested in what sort of case and chief they're going to bring. I don't know. This is one of those trials that my eyes are glued. I just have to keep watching. I want to know what's happening next and I know you're following it to Alexis. So we'd love to have you back on scandal to talk about it when the defense comes on. I would love to come back on and talk about it. And I think we're going to see a lot of forensic evidence. They're going to try to dispute all of that. Yeah, we'll see what happens. Thanks for stopping by. We're going to continue to follow this case and you can too. Make sure to check out the Law and Crime Trials channel. That's where we're live streaming this case with GAVIL to GAVIL coverage. And that is where today's episode of Scandal leaves us for now. Thanks for watching. I'm your host Sierra Gillespie and I'll see you next time. [BLANK_AUDIO]