MIAMI COUNTY — A jury found Caleb Flynn guilty of shooting and killing Ashley Flynn in a Miami County courtroom on Tuesday afternoon.
The jury deliberated for just over two hours to find Caleb Flynn guilty on all counts, including aggravated murder, murder and tampering with evidence.
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News Center 7’s Xavier Hershovitz was in the courtroom Tuesday as the final arguments and verdict came down.
Before the jury began deliberations, both the State and the defense gave closing arguments to plead their case.
“The defendant executed Ashley,” said Miami County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Watkins. “That is supported by evidence.”
Caleb Flynn cried as the prosecutors laid out their case one more time.
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The prosecutors returned to some of the messages between Flynn and his mistress, Alleigha Botner.
“We have the defendant’s intimate conversations with his mistress, messages they both thought would never see the light of day,” Watkins said.
Many of the hundreds of thousands of messages read in court were about how much they hated Ashley and wished she was dead.
“The evidence shows that his feelings toward Ashley went far beyond simply wanting a divorce; he hated her,” Watkins said. “She was his prison. The defendant called her the spawn of Satan.”
The defense said that all the prosecutors proved was that Caleb had an affair.
“The issue here isn’t whether he was a good husband,” said Patrick Mulligan, Caleb Flynn’s attorney. “Or any other label you want to put on him? Bad husband. That’s not the issue.”
The defense also raised concerns about the investigation.
Caleb was never tested for gunshot residue, and Ashley’s blood was not found on him or his clothes.
“The entire case is based on guesses, assumptions, and speculations,” Mulligan said. “There’s no hard facts, and that’s not beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The jury started deliberations at 1:15 p.m. and came back with the verdict just before 3:30 p.m.
As Miami County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeannine Pratt read the jury’s verdict, Caleb Flynn was seen crying at his seat between his attorneys.
He was found guilty on nine charges, including aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
Caleb Flynn is set to be sentenced on October 5 at 3 p.m. WHIO-TV will stream his sentencing.
Defense attorneys met after the verdict with reporters.
“That’s very much not the question,” Mulligan said. “The question is whether or not there was sufficient evidence in this particular case.”
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement:
“This was a complex case that demanded the high levels of expertise, skill and professionalism that are synonymous with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
“As they do in every case, BCI’s forensic experts rose to the occasion, acting as a force multiplier to help local law enforcement secure justice for Ashley’s loved ones.
“My thanks to BCI, the Tipp City Police Department and the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office for their painstaking work, from the initial investigation through today’s guilty verdict.”
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FULL CALEB FLYNN MURDER TRIAL COVERAGE:
JURY SELECTION: Prosecutors, Defense continue questioning to seat jury in Caleb Flynn murder trial
DAY 2 OF TRIAL: Prosecutors say over 100k of texts part of evidence in Caleb Flynn Murder Trial
DAY 3 OF TRIAL: Law enforcement, coroner’s office testify in Caleb Flynn murder trial
DAY 4 OF TRIAL: Ashley Flynn’s family testifies on Day 4 of Caleb Flynn murder trial
DAY 5 OF TRIAL: Caleb Flynn’s mistress testifies during Day 5 of murder trial
DAY 6 OF TRIAL: Mistress of Caleb Flynn continues testimony on Day 6 of Murder Trial
DAY 8 OF TRIAL: State, defense rests case in Caleb Flynn murder trial
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