The two young daughters of Caleb Flynn appeared nervous after privately speaking with their father days after their mother, Ashley Flynn, was fatally shot, their grandmother testified Tuesday during Flynn’s murder trial in Ohio.

Jill Smith, Ashley’s mother and the girls’ grandmother, told the court that Flynn had asked to see his daughters several days after Ashley was killed inside the family’s home in Tipp City, Ohio, in February.

Flynn was living separately from the girls at the time because the home remained an active crime scene. He had previously told police that he was in the girls’ bedroom when he heard gunshots.

Smith said the girls, who are now 12 and 10, later told her they had gone for a walk around a pond with their father. When they returned, Smith said both appeared nervous.

One of the girls later told her grandmother that she was “very nervous.” Smith said she asked the girl why, but did not reveal the answer or the details of their conversation at prosecutors’ direction.

Smith testified that she then took the girl to Flynn and told him that his daughter was afraid to tell the truth. According to Smith, Flynn responded that she should tell the truth.

Smith said the girls again appeared “super nervous” as they left, noting that they were soon expected to speak with police, family members and children’s services.

Flynn’s defense attorneys did not cross-examine Smith.

Several members of Ashley’s family testified during the third day of the trial, describing their memories of Ashley’s death and their interactions with Flynn before and after the shooting.

Prosecutors accuse Flynn, a former “American Idol” contestant, of killing his wife on February 16. They allege that a yearslong affair provided a motive and that Flynn wanted to preserve his relationship with another woman, maintain custody of his daughters and keep his position at Ashley’s family business.

Defense attorneys acknowledge that Flynn had an affair but deny that he killed Ashley. They have argued that he is not on trial for being an unfaithful husband and that prosecutors lack crucial evidence, including the murder weapon.

After Ashley was killed, Flynn told authorities that he believed an intruder had entered the home and shot his wife while he was in the girls’ bedroom.

Police found the center console of Flynn’s pickup truck open, and prosecutors said a gun he normally kept there was missing.

Flynn has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and several other charges. If convicted of the most serious charge, he could face life imprisonment without parole.

Ashley’s sister, Kayla Keyt, also testified about Flynn’s work for the family business. She said he had worked as a salesman for several years and earned approximately $200,000 annually.

Keyt said the family had discussed plans for the future of the flooring and furnishings company because her father intended to retire. A financial adviser had helped the family examine how Ashley, Keyt and their husbands could eventually inherit the business.

Keyt testified that she showed Flynn and her husband a spreadsheet projecting that their earnings could eventually reach between $300,000 and $400,000 if the company continued to grow. She said Flynn later asked to see the spreadsheet again.

Tipp City police Capt. Tony Smith testified that Flynn was also the sole beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy on Ashley.

Under cross-examination, Keyt said she initially believed police had arrested the wrong person. She testified that she trusted Flynn and believed he was innocent.

Keyt said she did not learn about Flynn’s affair with another worship leader at their church until she spoke with the FBI. She described her reaction to the affair as deeply negative.

Jill Smith testified that Ashley and Flynn had appeared to have a good marriage, although she noticed that their relationship seemed strained in the months before Ashley’s death.

Ashley’s daughters were later told about their father’s affair, Keyt testified. She said the girls were shocked and upset because they believed their mother loved their father deeply.

Keyt also testified that the girls were eventually told that Flynn was accused of killing their mother. According to Keyt, they initially rejected the idea for the first several months.

Ashley’s father, Todd Smith, testified that he questioned Flynn’s account of an intruder after learning about his daughter’s death. He said he could not understand why the family’s two dogs had not barked if an unknown person had entered the home.

Jill Smith also described how Flynn told his daughters that their mother had died.

According to Smith, Flynn told the girls that someone had broken into the house and hurt their mother and that Ashley was now in heaven. The children reportedly reacted by screaming, crying and clinging to their father.

One of the girls later said she did not understand how or why the death had happened but believed that God had a plan. The other said her mother was now with Jesus.

The trial is continuing.

SOURCE: CNN, Nicki Brown, updated September 2026.