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AI-generated love songs from Caleb Flynn's iPhone played as evidence at his Ohio murder trial

3 min read Published By Christopher Wieduwilt
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The historic Miami County Courthouse in Troy, Ohio, where the Caleb Flynn murder trial is being heard
Photo: Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

Prosecutors in Caleb Flynn’s murder trial played 2 AI-generated love songs to the jury on September 25, 2026. The songs came off Flynn’s iPhone, and in texts read in court he said he made them with ElevenLabs.

Flynn, 40, is a former American Idol contestant and worship pastor. He is on trial at the Miami County courthouse in Troy, Ohio, over the February killing of his wife of 15 years, Ashley Flynn, 37, at their home in Tipp City. He has pleaded not guilty.

The songs were written for Alleigha Botner, a former intern at his church, who testified this week about their affair.

How Caleb Flynn made the AI love songs, according to his own texts

Earlier the same day, Botner read Flynn’s messages to her into the record. One of them, reported by 404 Media, describes the whole workflow: “I have this software called ElevenLabs where I loaded the song on piano and sent it with my computer microphone to which I can pick an AI voice to sing it better.”

It’s a workflow plenty of songwriters use on ElevenLabs and similar tools: record a rough idea, then let a model sing it. Flynn wasn’t happy with the result either. “It messed up the outro,” he wrote. “I tried to sing it with passion and AI took it and went a little extreme.”

Both versions used the same lyrics with different AI vocals and backing tracks, according to TMZ. The lyrics referenced their age gap and their relationship. When the second song ended, the courtroom went quiet for several seconds, and the judge adjourned for the day.

What investigators found on Caleb Flynn’s iPhone

The songs reached the jury because forensic investigator Joseph Wilhelm got into Flynn’s phone. He testified that he unlocked it with GrayKey and ran a full file system extraction.

Diagram of four items investigators recovered from Caleb Flynn's iPhone, including AI song files and a deleted AI music app
Design: The AI Musicpreneur, from testimony reported by 404 Media and TMZ

That extraction returned the 2 AI audio files, the lyrics in Flynn’s Notes app, his messages, location history, and sleep and heart-rate data from his Oura Ring and Apple Watch. Wilhelm also testified that Flynn deleted an app called “AI music song generator” days before the killing.

The songs were played as investigators walked the jury through the digital evidence from Flynn’s phone, and the trial continues with further testimony.

Frequently asked questions

What AI tool did Caleb Flynn use to make the songs played at his trial?

In texts read in court, Flynn wrote that he used software called ElevenLabs, loading the song on piano through his computer microphone and picking an AI voice to sing it. Investigators also testified that he deleted an app called "AI music song generator" days before the killing.

What charges does Caleb Flynn face in Miami County, Ohio?

Flynn faces charges including aggravated murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence over the February 2026 death of his wife, Ashley Flynn, in Tipp City, Ohio. He has pleaded not guilty.

How were the AI songs found on Caleb Flynn's phone?

Forensic investigator Joseph Wilhelm testified that he unlocked the iPhone with GrayKey and ran a full file system extraction. That recovered the AI audio files, the lyrics in his Notes app, his messages and his app history.

About the author

Photo of Christopher Wieduwilt

Christopher Wieduwilt

AI Music Educator & Journalist

Covering AI music tools, industry shifts, and news for music creators and professionals. Twice-weekly newsletter at aimusicpreneur.com.

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