Prosecution rests in Caleb Flynn trial over wife's shooting death

Prosecutors have rested their case in the murder trial of Caleb Flynn, a former Ohio music pastor and one-time "American Idol" contestant accused of killing his wife while carrying on an affair.

Flynn, 40, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the February death of Ashley Flynn. The 37-year-old educator and volleyball coach was shot at the couple's home in Tipp City. Flynn has said a burglar shot his wife.

The trial, now in its second week of testimony, is being held in Troy, Ohio, before Judge Jeannine Pratt. Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege that Flynn staged a home invasion to mislead investigators and claimed in a frantic 911 call that a burglar had shot his wife.

Testifying for the state, Tipp City Police Detective Sergeant Mike Morgan was questioned by defence attorney L Patrick Mulligan about the absence of gunshot residue testing in the case. Morgan acknowledged that Flynn was never tested, that residue can be shaken off a person, that the living room carpet was not tested, and that no gunshot residue test was performed at all.

Morgan had earlier told the court that officers initially believed residue would be found on Flynn because he entered the room four to six seconds after hearing the gunshot, and that a state agent had agreed with that assessment.

Samantha Reeb, a criminal intelligence analyst with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testified about messages Flynn exchanged with Alleigha Botner, the woman prosecutors say he was having an affair with. According to Reeb, Flynn told Botner he would undertake a 40-day fast seeking guidance from the Lord on whether and how to leave his wife, and later said he felt he had received word that he could leave her.

Reeb said the messages showed Flynn planned to leave Ashley in October, then in November, but neither deadline was met. Botner grew upset that the dates kept passing and asked him to leave his wife before Christmas, Reeb told the court.

Botner, 24, has testified against Flynn. Jurors have also heard AI-generated love songs that prosecutors say he made for her. She told the court that Flynn had remarked he hated his wife and harboured thoughts of killing her.