(NEW YORK) -- A verdict has been reached in the murder trial of an Ohio man accused of fatally shooting his wife, who had called 911 to report that an intruder broke into their home and killed the mother of two.

Caleb Flynn, 40, who once appeared as a contestant on "American Idol" in 2013, was charged with aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of his wife, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn. He has pleaded not guilty.

The jury deliberated for nearly 2 1/2 hours before reaching a verdict Tuesday afternoon. The verdict has not yet been announced.

The former pastor called 911 early on Feb. 16 to report that his wife had been shot by an intruder at their home in Tipp City, north of Dayton. He was arrested three days later.

Prosecutors alleged that Caleb Flynn "executed" his wife by shooting her twice in the back of the head in bed so that he could be with his mistress and manipulated the crime scene to make it seem as if an intruder had broken in through the garage.

Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph pointed to evidence including the physical scene, 911 call, text messages between Caleb Flynn and his mistress discussing the end of his marriage and digital records from the night of the shooting, which he argued "leads straight to the defendant."

"The evidence showed that being the victim would allow the defendant to keep his lucrative job working for Ashley's family business, he would benefit from Ashley's life insurance, and he could keep his position as a working worship leader with zero impact to his reputation within the church," Joseph said during closing arguments Tuesday in the Miami County courtroom. "The evidence does not tell the story of an intruder."

Joseph argued that key details in Caleb Flynn's recounting of what happened that night changed, and at the time when he told investigators he was sleeping before being woken up by gunshots, "his devices say he was awake and moving."

No gun has been found in the shooting, though Joseph told jurors that the recovery of the gun is not an element the state has to prove.

"But you heard the defendant kept a 9mm handgun in his truck console. His truck was parked in the garage. That console was up before law enforcement arrived and the gun was missing," Joseph said. "You heard that Ashley was shot twice in her head with 9mm bullets."

Defense attorney Patrick Mulligan argued during his closing that the state's evidence is circumstantial, and that the only thing prosecutors proved was that Caleb Flynn was having an affair.

"Connecting a couple of meaningless dots doesn't solve the case," Mulligan told jurors.

Mulligan said Caleb Flynn voluntarily spoke with detectives three times when he "didn't have to," consented to a search of his home and phone and voluntarily gave his fingerprints.

"He wanted to figure out who shot Ashley," Mulligan said.

On rebuttal, Miami County prosecuting attorney Paul Watkins urged jurors to use "common sense" and argued that the "evidence is clear" that Caleb Flynn is guilty.

The evidence in the case did not begin with the two gunshots, but months earlier, he argued, citing text messages between the defendant and his mistress, Alleigha Botner.

"The defendant, he had Alleigha, and he wanted out of his marriage," Watkins said. "The evidence shows that his feelings toward Ashley went far beyond simply wanting a divorce. He hated her."

Watkins said the language in the more than 100,000 messages Caleb Flynn and his mistress had sent each other "escalated" in months before the shooting while recounting some of the texts, including one from the defendant that said, "I want my girls full time in a life with you, but I can't have both. So I weigh the options, and I choose you."

"Not just hours before Ashley's execution, the defendant wrote this: 'Actions will come tomorrow. 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,'" Watkins said, continuing to read the message. "'I know I can't live without you, and so again, if this gives me a 1% chance to spend my life with you, it's the 100% right decision. I choose you. I'm free.'"

"We are not here only because of someone's words," Watkins told jurors. "We are here because the defendant put actions to those words. The defendant made decisions."

Twenty days before Ashley Flynn was killed, Watkins said Caleb Flynn removed security cameras that had been in his home for years, including one that would have captured an intruder coming in from the garage. The day of the shooting, Watkins said the evidence shows that the defendant was also deleting apps off his phone and trying to delete his messages.

"In the hours after Ashley was murdered, the defendant was not mourning the death of his wife. He was whispering to his mistress, 'It didn't happen the way we thought it would,'" Watkins said. "I am confident after you deliberate, your verdict will tell the world this case did not end the way the defendant thought it would. The defendant wanted a new life. He wanted Ashley out of their life, and he didn't want to face the consequences of making the choice to pursue divorce."

Caleb Flynn could be seen crying throughout the closing arguments. He did not testify during the trial and the defense called no witnesses.

He denied killing his spouse in an interview with police days after the deadly shooting, according to video shown during the trial.

His former mistress testified for the state during the trial, reading from some of the more than 100,000 messages they exchanged over her two days of testimony.

"If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat," Caleb Flynn said in one message from May 2025, Botner testified.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Trump administration can continue deporting migrants to third countries without prior notice after the Supreme Court on Tuesday paused a lower court order blocking the controversial policy.

In granting the government's request for a stay, the high court on Tuesday cleared federal officials to enforce rapid third-country removals for now while also agreeing to take up the case for oral argument in December.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

Earlier this month, a three-judge panel for the First Circuit ruled that immigrants were not receiving adequate notice before being deported to nations where they have no ties or connections.

"An individual's right to contest removal to a country based on a fear of persecution in that country means little if one does not receive prior notice of the intended removal destination and a meaningful opportunity to contest that destination," wrote Circuit Judge Seth Aframe.

About 25,000 people have been deported to so-called third countries during the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown, according to the immigrant rights organizations Human Rights First and Refugees International.

According to immigration lawyers and advocates, third-country removals are not new, but they are rare. In recent months, the Trump administration has ramped up third-country deportations after creating a web of formal deals with nearly three dozen countries to deport asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants with criminal records with little to no warning.

ABC News previously interviewed a group of Latin American men who were deported to the Central African Republic and were not informed of their destination until several hours into the flight.

"I feel kidnapped," one of the men, Aristides Fernandez Garcia, said. "They have violated all the rights that exist in life, because we are human beings."

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(NEW YORK) -- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday called for an outside investigation into Cornell University’s campus culture and its response to allegations by an unidentified female former student that she was raped by several men at a fraternity there in 2024.

The governor said in part that she is seeking to determine whether “Cornell met every obligation to protect its students and pursue justice.”

“The allegations in this case are nothing short of horrifying. For any student to come forward after an experience like this takes extraordinary courage," Hochul said in her statement.

“I support the district attorney’s decision to reopen the criminal investigation. But there are also serious questions about Cornell’s campus culture and its systems for prevention, reporting, and response," Hochul's statement continued. "That is why I am calling for outside counsel to conduct a transparent, independent review of the university’s response to determine whether Cornell met every obligation to protect its students and pursue justice."

"No student should ever be left wondering whether the institutions meant to protect them will listen and act," the statement also said.

"Cornell shares Governor Hochul’s commitment to addressing campus culture issues, which affect universities across the nation and New York. We are committed to continuing to work with state officials to advance student safety and wellbeing,” a Cornell spokesperson said in a statement provided to ABC News.

Prosecutors in central New York this week announced that they are reopening the investigation of the alleged sexual assault after a former Cornell student filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and gang raped by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell, sparking outrage about the incident. 

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said in a statement that his office is considering whether to bring criminal charges related to the incident, though he said the allegations in the civil complaint are "dramatically different" than the woman’s statement to police two years ago.

In an interview with ABC News, Van Houten acknowledged that he relied on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and said his office didn’t “independently investigate” the allegations.

Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo said on Monday that he would issue a directive for the city to stop issuing permits for student events at Cornell “until such time that the University conducts an accounting of its protocols to prevent and prosecute crimes of sexual violence and publicly releases new standards and practices to keep our community safe.” 

“Despite the severity of these crimes, Cornell University administrators and police failed to contact or coordinate any response with the Ithaca Police Department. Furthermore, the University failed to hold the perpetrators to account," Cantelmo's statement said. "This is a miscarriage of justice and continues to pose a significant threat to students and residents who may be victimized at unsafe and under-monitored on- or off-campus student events."

Ithaca’s Common Council would have to adopt the resolution for it to take effect.

The Ithaca Police Department said in a statement Monday that the alleged incident wasn't reported to them at the time and that they "learned of these allegations recently through the media."

"We understand these allegations are being taken very seriously by Cornell University and the Tomkins County District Attorney's Office," the statement further said. "We encourage members of our community to report allegations to the Ithaca Police Department."

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(WASHINGTON) -- Elder Chavez Carranza believed his last year of high school would consist of preparations for his graduation, prom and planning for his future.

Instead, the 18-year-old has spent more than 200 days in an immigration detention center in Louisiana, hundreds of miles from his home in Albertville, Alabama.

Chavez Carranza who is from Copan, Honduras, entered the U.S. when he was 14 and was later granted Special Immigrant Juvenile classification when he was a minor, a designation for certain immigrant children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected that provides humanitarian protection, his lawyer said.

According to immigration lawyers, the primary benefit of SIJS is that it provides eligible youth under 21 a pathway to obtain a green card. Historically, immigration authorities exercised prosecutorial discretion to avoid arresting or deporting individuals with pending or approved SIJS applications.

The 18-year-old said he was on his way to buy food when a police officer stopped him and began asking about his identification and immigration papers. After explaining to the officer that he did not have documents with him, he said the officer contacted immigration authorities.

"I was going to buy a torta when the officer stopped me. He first asked me for my ID and whether I had papers. I told him, 'no.' Then he called ICE. They asked me what kind of papers I had, and I told them I had status. But they didn't even give me time to show them my papers. They just took me away," Chavez Carranza told ABC News from detention.

Dalaney Mecham, Chavez Carranza's immigration attorney, said he had already been granted SIJ classification by USCIS but that a separate deferred-action application, which could allow him to remain in the U.S while pursuing the next steps in his immigration case, has not been resolved.

"The federal government has already decided that he deserves protection; Congress decided that children like him deserve protection; and USCIS has already looked at his application and approved it," Mecham said. "The only thing standing between him and that protection while he waits for his lawful process to continue is the very same government that created this pathway."

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told ABC News that "Chavez-Carranza will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings."

"He will receive full due process," DHS added. "Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App."

For the past nine months, Chavez Carranza has been at the Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana, separated from his family, friends and school.

His sister, Maryuri Chavez Carranza, who is his legal guardian, says he calls her every day.

"He tells me, 'I really miss my teachers. I miss my friends. I miss everything about school,'" Maryuri told ABC News.

Immigration advocate Angela Del Valle says she became involved in Chavez Carranza's case after her husband, Carlos, was detained at the same facility and met the 18-year-old there.

Del Valle says she began communicating with his sister and helping the family navigate the detention process. She now speaks with Chavez Carranza regularly and is among the advocates pushing for his release.

"Above all, we want him to know that he's not forgotten," Del Valle said. "We also want the community there at Winn to know that he's cared for, that he's not forgotten."

Advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns about the conditions of the facility where Chavez Carranza is detained. In less than two months, two detainees have died at Winn. DHS has said in statements that the deaths are under investigation and has defended its treatment of detainees in detention centers.

The 18-year -old is one of thousands of people who have been in prolonged detention after being detained by federal immigration authorities, ABC News has reported.

Chavez Carranza said that when he first arrived at Winn, he did not feel comfortable. Over time, he said he began forming friendships with other detainees, including Carlos, who he said was one of the first people he met.

"I do feel protected with them," he said. "They are older people, and they always look out for me."

In detention, the 18-year-old works at the facility unloading trucks. He said that for now, he is focused on finding the strength to get through each day in detention.

"What I ask for most right now, while I'm here, is for God to give me strength so I can keep enduring this confinement. It's very difficult here," he said.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Another top Trump loyalist tasked to help lead a controversial conspiracy probe targeting President Trump's political foes has resigned from the Justice Department, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News. 

The resignation of Kurt Olsen, a 2020 election denier who was assigned to the so-called "grand conspiracy" probe in Southern Florida earlier this year, comes just weeks after Trump ally Joe diGenova similarly announced his departure after suggesting to the New York Post that he was being pressured by DOJ leadership to bring charges without supporting evidence. 

Olsen had no prior prosecutorial experience and was deeply involved in litigation surrounding President Trump's efforts to challenge his 2020 election loss. 

Olsen could not immediately be reached for comment. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment to ABC News. 

Other line prosecutors on the investigation are also said to have departed the U.S. attorney's office in South Florida in recent days, sources said, though one source said that those officials had only been temporarily assigned to the office on a detail basis and that their terms had expired.

Additional attorneys were recently been added to assist in the conspiracy probe in recent weeks, that source said. 

The investigation, as detailed by Justice Department officials and other allies of the White House, purports to be examining intelligence officials and others who investigated President Trump and his inner circle dating back to his 2016 presidential campaign, up to the criminal probes he faced after leaving office in 2021. Trump has denied all charges.

The novel theory underpinning the probe has been a source of skepticism by current and former federal prosecutors, who have questioned the premise of charging Trump's foes under a civil rights statute known as "deprivation of rights under color of law," sources have said.

Several subjects of the investigation, including former CIA Director John Brennan, have been subpoenaed in recent weeks to testify before a grand jury in South Florida, according to attorneys.

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(NEW YORK) -- The X2 rollercoaster, which is the subject of multiple lawsuits, has been shut down, the president of Six Flags Magic Mountain announced Tuesday.

"After almost 20 years, we have decided to permanently retire X2," Six Flags Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding said in a statement posted on the Six Flags blog.

"While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do. Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously," Oerding said.

Lawsuits allege riders suffered major brain injuries after riding the X2 roller coaster. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs say more than 100 people have come forward.

X2 has been closed since July 12 and will now stay closed.

The lawsuits allege the ride had design problems dating back to when the ride first opened in 2002, originally called X.

According to court documents, Pamela Guillen and her family visited Six Flags Magic Mountain in July of this year for her daughter’s 16th birthday. Guillen said X2 was the family’s final ride of the day.

After exiting the ride, Guillen said she felt confused and disoriented. Her next memory was waking up in a hospital two weeks later and learning from her family that she had undergone emergency brain surgery.

"I was confused and disoriented, and I remember seeing the fear in my daughter's eyes and how scared she was," Guillen recalled. "Everything went blank. My next memory is waking up in the hospital about two weeks later."

Guillen is one of three people who recently filed lawsuits against Six Flags Magic Mountain alleging they suffered major brain injuries after riding X2.

"I had suffered a traumatic brain injury and needed emergency brain surgery to stop the bleeding and had to be intubated. I was in a coma. I spent almost a month at the hospital," Guillen said.

Another plaintiff, Michael Wick, visited the park with his family and rode X2. Wick’s attorney said he has undergone two brain surgeries and is now unable to practice law because of a disability.

Six days after Guillen collapsed while exiting X2, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson rode the coaster. Her parents said they are still waiting for her to begin breathing on her own.

"Naomi, 25 years old, still hasn't come home. Her parents, Artemis and Josh, are with her every single day and wonder when she's going to be able to breathe on her own again," said Christopher Bulone, a partner with Dordick Law.

“Magic Mountain, as a business, seems to think that it's OK that if people voluntarily choose to ride a roller coaster, then they've assumed the risk. No! They don't assume a risk of death or catastrophic brain damage for some family fun,” said Gary Dordick, owner of Dordick Law.

Magic Mountain has previously settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Christopher Hawley. That lawsuit alleged Hawley died after riding X2 in 2022.

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(NEW YORK) -- Three hikers were airlifted to safety by rescue crews early Monday morning after becoming lost and disoriented in a Big Sur state park, according to officials.

The hikers called 911 at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday to request emergency assistance, prompting a joint search-and-rescue operation by the Monterey County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, Big Sur Fire, and a naval air station in the area, according to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

One of the hikers was experiencing a medical emergency when they called 911, the sheriff's office said.

The group was located at about 12:30 a.m. The sheriff's office team located them Monday and hoisted them to safety with "Lasso 3," a Navy search-and-rescue helicopter, according to the release.

Rescue teams undertook a 2.5-mile hike at about 2,000 feet of elevation along trails that needed to be cleared with machetes and chainsaws because of overgrowth to reach the hikers, authorities said.

The three were hiking in Limekiln State Park along the Big Sur coastline, officials said.

The three were turned over to Big Sur Fire and Ambulance personnel upon their safe return and the mission was concluded at about 4 a.m. on Monday, according to the sheriff's office.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office reminds those venturing into the backcountry to know their limitations and prepare before departing. Hikers are encouraged to use established trails, carry a GPS-enabled device for navigation, and tell a family member or friend when they leave and their expected return time.

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Prosecutors in upstate New York are defending their decision not to bring charges in 2024 after an alleged "gang rape" at a Cornell University fraternity. 

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten described the allegations as “morally disturbing” but argued that the facts he knew at the time did not support a prosecution. 

“If what was said on social media about this case was true, those fraternity members would be in prison right now,” Van Houten told ABC News.

Van Houten argued that Jane Doe’s account of the incident from 2024 suggested that she consented to the sexual activity. He said that she did not withdraw her consent, and that when she raised concerns, the fraternity members “stopped and did not pursue what they were doing.” 

“She clearly consented in the beginning, and there was never any indication that she changed that to the things that she participated in,” he said. “There is a disconnect in the sense of how the community and how social media has understood this to have happened. If at any point Jane Doe had said, ‘I don't consent to this anymore,’ or in those words, or in any form of communication. If there had been continued sexual activity, contact by these individuals, that would be a crime. But that's not what was alleged in her statement.” 

Van Houten acknowledged that his office did not examine a photo of the fraternity’s Snapchat group, but he argued that the messages do not change his view of the case. 

He called the messages, "disgusting and vulgar and immoral."

"But the question that we analyzed was: Did Jane Doe consent to what happened, and was she unable to consent?” he said. “I'm not clear on exactly how that was given to us, or if anyone here looked at it. That was not critical to our analysis, as I mentioned earlier. The issue was her consent, and if you take that Snapchat being vile and crude and vulgar, that did not have any relevance to the issue of whether Jane Doe consented to what was happening,”  Van Houten said.

The DA's comments come a day after his office announced it would be reopening the 2024 case in light of Jane Doe's civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and gang raped by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell.

Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus after the alleged Oct. 19, 2024, incident, though none of the individuals allegedly involved faced criminal charges, according to the DA. 

An attorney for Jane Doe responded to Van Houten's written statement on Monday, alleging his client's claims were not investigated thoroughly.

“It is challenging for me to understand how a thorough criminal investigation could have been conducted when she was never spoke with anyone other than the officer who took her original complaint,” Thomas P. Giuffra said.

Giuffra also raised concerns that prosecutors might have lost critical evidence because of the two-year delay in investigating the case. 

“I believe that opportunities to fully investigate these crimes were lost. We will never fully know what occurred or the identities of everyone who was involved that night,” he said. 

Van Houten said his office plans to meet with Jane Doe to “establish a rapport” before having her testify before the grand jury this fall. He added that he requested some of the documents from Cornell’s Title IX investigation (through Jane Doe) and suggested that some of the fraternity members might testify. 

Van Houten argued his office is constrained by New York’s laws on sexual assault and consent, which present a high bar to a potential prosecution. 

“The law in New York State is clear that if you are voluntarily intoxicated or under the influence of drugs – such that your judgment is impaired — that does not legally, under the penal law, constitute your inability to consent,” Van Houten said. “That's a very difficult concept, but it's a concept that I am constrained by when I apply the law to the case.”

The university said in a new statement on Monday that it "supports the decision of the Tompkins County District Attorney (DA) to provide an opportunity for the victim’s story, in the 2024 Chi Phi fraternity Sexual Assault case, to be heard by a criminal grand jury."

"Cornell also conducted a thorough Title IX investigation, which is separate from a criminal proceeding, over the course of several months," Monday's statement said. "During that investigation temporary suspensions and other restrictive measures were used. After investigation, and pursuant to federal law, the matter was sent to a hearing where a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days. The complainant and respondents had the opportunity to testify and present evidence. At its conclusion, the hearing panel issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions from Cornell. None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement."

Jane Doe’s lawyers allege that the fraternity members "were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell."

The fraternity was closed in 2024, the school said.

"Any suggestion that the University did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," Cornell said on Monday. "A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault."

ABC News has reached out to Chi Phi for a comment.

An attorney for one of the defendants denied the allegations and said the incident detailed in the complaint "did not happen."

“We look forward to confronting the plaintiff in a court of law for her selfishly false claims with both the evidence and her own words.” Attorney Jeremy Saland said.

Another defendant also denied engaging in sexual activity or drug use, though he acknowledged that he sent a message that was included in the complaint. 

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An Ohio man accused of murdering his wife in their bedroom and allegedly staging the crime scene to make it seem like an intruder broke into their home denied killing his spouse in an interview with police days after the deadly shooting, according to video shown during his trial on Monday.

Caleb Flynn, 40, a former pastor who once appeared as a contestant on "American Idol" in 2013, is on trial in Miami County, Ohio, for the murder of his 37-year-old wife, Ashley Flynn.

He was arrested on Feb. 19, three days after calling 911 to report a burglary and shooting at their home in Tipp City, north of Dayton in February. He has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.

Prosecutors alleged that Caleb Flynn shot his wife twice in the back of the head in bed so that he could be with his mistress and manipulated the scene to make it seem as if an intruder did it so he "too would be a victim." According to prosecutors, Ashley Flynn was shot with two 9mm bullets, and Caleb Flynn kept a 9mm handgun in his truck console that was missing from the console when officers arrived at the scene.

While being questioned by a Tipp City police detective and Miami County deputy on the day of his arrest, Flynn was asked point-blank if he had anything to do with his wife's death, according to video of the interview shown in court on Monday.

"Did you do this? Because I have to ask you," Chief Deputy Steve Lord of the Miami County Sheriff's Office asks while questioning Caleb Flynn about what could have led to the deadly shooting.

"No," Caleb Flynn responds.

While discussing the gun that was missing from Caleb Flynn's truck console, Lord says he believes the husband is "involved" in the shooting, and that when a grand jury hears the evidence of the case, "they're going to conclude something."

"I didn't touch my wife," Caleb Flynn says.

Asked if he had any explanation for his gun, Caleb Flynn continues to reiterate, "I didn't touch my wife."

"The evidence is a little bit contrary to that," Lord replies.

The state rested its case on Monday, after calling more than three dozen witnesses over seven days of testimony.

The defense also rested on Monday without calling any witnesses. Caleb Flynn did not testify in his own defense.

Closing arguments are expected Tuesday.

During interviews with investigators played during the trial, Caleb Flynn said that the night of the shooting, he left his bedroom because his coughing was bothering his wife. He said that while sleeping on the couch his dogs woke him up and he went to check on their two daughters and fell asleep in their room. He said he was woken up by the sound of gunshots and found his wife shot in bed in the early hours of Feb. 16.

He called 911 to report the shooting and intruder.

"Somebody broke into my home. Somebody broke in my home and shot my wife," a frantic-sounding Caleb Flynn can be heard in the 911 call.

"My wife, she's got two shots to her head, there's blood everywhere, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," he says, adding that the door to the garage was "wide open" and urging first responders to "please hurry."

Hours before calling 911 on Feb. 16, Caleb Flynn texted his mistress, "Actions will come tomorrow," prosecutors said.

The former mistress, Alleigha Botner, testified for the state during the trial, reading from some of the more than 100,000 messages they exchanged over her two days of testimony.

"If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat," Caleb Flynn said in one message from May 2025, she testified.

Defense attorneys have conceded that Caleb Flynn said "ugly, hurtful" things in the messages with his mistress, though said he did so to appease her and lied to her to make her happy. The defense has also argued that there is no direct evidence, such as a firearm, tying Caleb Flynn to the murder, "only a theory following an affair."

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(NEW YORK) -- A third suspect was arrested on murder charges in the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old Black mother of four whose body was found hanging from a tree behind an apparently vacant Jackson, Mississippi, home on Aug. 3.

Police arrested Eric Clark, a 45-year-old Black man, on murder charges in Fortune's death on Friday, the Jackson Police Department announced. Clark is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, police said. It is unclear if he has retained an attorney.

Clark's arrest came after two other Black men were arrested earlier this month and charged with murder in this case.

During a hearing on Sept. 23, bond was denied for Earnest Lloyd Jr., 25, one of the suspects, according to ABC affiliate station WAPT in Jackson. It is unclear if he has retained an attorney in his case.

Jarques Ratliff, 51, was arrested on Sept. 11 and charged with murder. According to an affidavit, Ratliff is accused of using a black cable cord to hang Fortune from a tree, WAPT reported. Ratliff pleaded not guilty during a hearing on Sept. 14, where he was also denied bond.

According to The Associated Press, police disclosed during a pre-trial hearing for Ratliff on Friday that Fortune was killed in a drug dispute before her body was hung in a tree in a "staged" scene.

Asked by ABC News to confirm this detail, a spokesperson for the Jackson Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Ratliff's attorney, Toney Baldwin, confirmed his client's not guilty plea to ABC News, but did not comment on the charges.

Following Ratliff's arrest, Fortune's family told ABC News in a statement that they are "grateful" for the arrest, and called for "patience" from the public as the investigation takes its course.

"We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support and are grateful for the silence to be broken but we also want to say that we wish for people to have patience and wait for the rest of the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions," Fortune's family said in a statement Monday following Ratliffe's arrest. "We are hoping soon we will have more answers."

Christy Spivey, Fortune's mother, told ABC News in an interview on Aug. 8 that her daughter's death has "devastated" the family.

"This has just devastated us," she said. "Tasia was strong-minded, she was full of laughs and love, she had faith in God ... she had so little and gave so much."

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(NEW YORK) -- A 13-year-old boy is in custody after allegedly shooting and seriously wounding a teacher at his New Mexico middle school, authorities said.

The teacher, Kelly Matthews, remains in the hospital where he's considered "stable" but in "critical condition," Hobbs Police Chief James Jones said at a news conference on Sunday.

The shooting unfolded shortly before noon on Friday outside Highland Middle School, near the building's back doors, Jones said.

The 13-year-old went outside the building in between classes, Jones said, and when Matthews walked outside and around a corner, he encountered the suspect, who allegedly immediately began firing at him.

Police have not disclosed a potential motive and said there's no information indicating Matthews was targeted ahead of time.

The 13-year-old fled the school toward a residential area, the chief said. Officers spotted him a few blocks from the school and, after a brief foot pursuit, apprehended him, Jones said.

School nurses jumped in to care for the teacher as officers responded to the scene, police said.

Officers have recovered a semi-automatic handgun they believe the teen allegedly used in the "tragic and violent act," Jones said.

Hobbs Schools Board President Terry O'Brien praised the responding officers' quick actions, saying they prevented the violence from escalating.

The 13-year-old is being held on charges, including aggravated assault on school personnel, shooting threats and unlawfully carrying a deadly weapon, Jones said.

School will be back in session on Monday, police said. The Hobbs Police Department is increasing its officer presence at local schools, with "particular attention to Highland Middle School," the chief said.

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(NEW YORK) -- Millions across the Southwest are on alert for life-threatening flash flooding this week, with the worst of the flooding forecast for Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah and southern Colorado. 

It's already been one of the wettest Septembers on record for parts of the Southwest. Albuquerque, New Mexico, has recorded 3.31 inches of rain this month, marking the second wettest September ever.

On Monday, a level 3 of 4 flood threat is in place for parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Areas bracing for dangerous conditions include Santa Fe, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; Grand Canyon National Park; Zion National Park; and Bryce Canyon National Park.

One to 3 inches of rain is possible, which is more than a month's worth of rain in one day for some areas.

The level 3 flood threats will continue on Tuesday, with 4 to 6 inches of rain possible in some areas Monday through Wednesday. The significant threat will span from Tucson, Arizona, to Albuquerque to Lamar, Colorado, Amarillo, Texas and El Paso, Texas.

On Wednesday and Thursday, a level 3 of 4 flood threat is in place for Dallas, where significant flooding is possible.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Congressional Democrats are pressing federal health officials following the government's decision to end a contract with legal advocacy groups that provide legal representation to migrant children.

In a letter sent Monday to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, lawmakers raised concerns over the government's efforts to award new federal contracts to politically connected firms that they say lack immigration experience.

The 63 lawmakers wrote that they are "gravely concerned that ORR would entrust a vulnerable population with firms so plainly unqualified for the task."

The letter comes after HHS last month awarded a controversial anti-human trafficking organization a no-bid $158 million contract to provide legal services to migrant children.

Utah-based Our Rescue, previously known as Operation Underground Railroad, was founded by activist Tim Ballard, who resigned in 2023 amid allegations of misconduct, which he denied in a statement posted through one of his organizations. 

Our Rescue, according to the group of lawmakers, "does not list legal services among its primary functions."

"Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, ORR is required to provide confidential and qualified legal consultation to unaccompanied children," the lawmakers wrote. "However, Our Rescue does not list legal services among its primary functions, and it is unlikely to have the needed infrastructure and legal expertise to properly provide legal representation for thousands of children across the country."

Currently, Our Rescue is run by Derek Benner, a former DHS official from the first Trump administration.

"If ORR proceeds with this contract, ORR will be gambling with the legal fate of thousands of children on an organization that has not clearly demonstrated it can do this work," the lawmakers wrote.

In a statement, an HHS spokesperson called Our Rescue "a premier organization focused on combatting human trafficking globally."

"Not only do they understand the crime, but they understand the foreign populations who have been preyed upon by criminal networks and who profit from exploiting vulnerable populations," the HHS statement said. "As such, they are perfectly positioned to understand and recognize if or when an unaccompanied child has been victimized and will have the legal representation to pursue any immigration avenues available."

The lawmakers, in their letter, also pointed to a notice from HHS that announced its intent to award a $150 million contract to a small Texas law firm founded by a former Trump appointee. Burke Law Group withdrew from consideration for the contract after lawmakers and advocacy groups raised concerns that the firm did not have experience representing migrant children.

"The withdrawal underscores our concerns with how your agency is handling these contracts and award process," the lawmakers wrote. "These children are a uniquely vulnerable population whose needs and case complexities require highly specialized expertise."

The letter from the lawmakers, which include Rep. Joaquin Castro and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, asks Kennedy and ORR for information regarding the contract with Our Rescue and whether the agencies plan to award additional contracts in support of migrant children.

"Unaccompanied minors are the most vulnerable population in the immigration system," Rep. Castro told ABC News. "We have a moral and statutory duty to provide them with quality legal representation. The Trump administration's attempt to cut out longstanding providers who are equipped to handle these cases jeopardized the well-being of children."

Michael Lukens, the executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights -- which used to receive funding through a government contract that was terminated -- said that "nonprofits are doing their best to keep the lights on and to help as many unaccompanied children as possible."

"Since the Trump administration took the unprecedented action of letting the contract for children's legal services expire with no plan in place for more than 20,000 kids, we have seen an equally unprecedented attack on immigrant children," he told ABC News.

Immigrant advocacy groups have alleged that unaccompanied children and their sponsors are among those being targeted under the administration's aggressive immigration crackdown. 

In June, DHS agents visited the offices of several Washington-area nonprofit organizations that provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children. 

Last year, ABC News reported that the administration was directing immigration agents to track down unaccompanied migrant children in the United States.

"We are seeing children being bullied in court to take self-deportation and other children showing up without any counsel, even though the government is mandated to provide them with an attorney," Lukens said. "Unaccompanied immigrant children need meaningful and expert advocacy through the court system, not political games."

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(NEW YORK) -- The worst of the deadly nor'easter that's lashed the Northeast is behind us, and Monday will feature minor impacts as the storm winds down. 

The storm claimed at least one life. The New York Police Department confirmed to ABC News that a 56-year old man died after being struck by a falling tree on Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn while walking through a parking lot.

In a statement on social media, Mayor Zohran Mamdani identified the man as Leighton Brown, an employee of the New York City Housing Authority.

The nor'easter is weakening and drifting on Monday slowly northeast from Long Island, New York, to Massachusetts, into the Gulf of Maine by Tuesday. 

Mainly light rain continues to spin around the storm throughout New England. 

New York City, Long Island and New Jersey should see dry skies in the mid-to-late afternoon on Monday. 

By about 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Boston is also forecast to be dry. A few lingering light showers are forecast for Maine on Tuesday. 

Coastal flood alerts are in place from the Delmarva Peninsula, an area that includes parts of Delaware, Virginia and Maryland, through coastal Massachusetts on Monday.

High tides on Monday morning and Tuesday morning may bring minor to moderate coastal flooding, which is forecast to be less than over the weekend. 

A flood watch is in effect for eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island where an additional 1.5 inches of rain is possible today. Widespread issues are not expected but due to saturated soils some urban flooding is possible today. 

High surf could reach up to 12 feet today from coastal Massachusetts through coastal Maine. 

All wind advisories have been cancelled. Gusts around 20 to 30 mph are possible on Monday from New Jersey to Maine. 

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(NEW YORK) -- SpaceX on Monday launched the world's largest and most powerful rocket and spacecraft on a mission that marks the first time the spacecraft achieved orbit.

Starship splashed down in the Pacific, north of Hawaii, just before noon ET. Although the mission ended some seven hours earlier than planned, with the company choosing to return to Earth during the first scheduled mission checkpoint, SpaceX is calling flight 14 a success because it achieved both of its primary objectives: getting Starship into orbit for the first time and successfully adding Starlink satellites to its orbital constellation. 

Starship's 14th test flight was also the first Starship mission to make money for SpaceX; the company successfully deployed 26 Starlink satellites into orbit to build out its satellite internet division, SpaceX's primary revenue generator. 

Overall, this is the first time the Starship vehicle has reached orbit, deployed a revenue-generating payload and returned to Earth. While the company had some issues with two engines on the Super Heavy booster and one on the Starship spacecraft, the flight demonstrated that SpaceX is making significant progress with the Starship program, even if there is still work to be done.

The flight lifted off at 8:50 a.m. ET from SpaceX's Starbase in Cameron County, Texas. The launch was initially scheduled for 8:15 a.m. ET but that was pushed Monday morning to 8:48 a.m. ET. Flight controllers had a 75-minute launch window to get the spacecraft off the pad.

Despite the spacecraft losing one engine during the ascent to space, which was not needed to achieve orbit, it successfully executed its orbital insertion burn.

Just over a half-hour into the mission, Starship began deploying its payload of 26 Starlink V3 satellites, marking the first time that the Starlink satellites have been placed into orbit for ongoing use. Previous missions deployed either Starlink simulators or satellites that burned up in the atmosphere.

The mission was scheduled to last just under 10 hours, with SpaceX is aiming for about six orbits, traveling at about 17,500 mph more than 170 miles above Earth.  However, SpaceX decided to take advantage of their first scheduled checkpoint and ended the mission early, following the successful deployment of the Starlink satellites, making to total mission duration about three hours from launch to splashdown.

The company did not say what factored into their decision but pointed out that this is the longest SpaceX mission to date.

Starship lifted off atop the vehicle's Super Heavy booster, which separated from from the spacecraft after launch and performed a boostback burn, designed to change its direction so it can return to Earth. After the landing burn, the booster successfully splashed down in the Gulf.

Starship started its flight on what SpaceX calls a "passively safe" suborbital/free-return path. This is the same trajectory the company used for previous missions.

The flight plan included regular vehicle health checks during the flight. SpaceX says Starship has more than 500 sensors that measure things such as temperature, pressure and acceleration during the mission. In addition, the vehicle provides flight controllers with continuous telemetry data.

At the end of the mission, Starship performed a deorbit burn using a single Raptor sea-level engine to prepare to reenter Earth's atmosphere.

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(NEW YORK) -- Prosecutors in central New York say they are reopening the investigation of alleged "gang rape" at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 after a civil lawsuit filed earlier this month sparked outrage about the incident. 

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said in a statement that his office is considering whether to bring criminal charges related to the incident, though he said the allegations in the civil complaint are “dramatically different” than the woman’s statement to police two years ago. 

“It's our intention to present the case to the Tompkins County grand jury with Jane Doe's cooperation,” Van Houten told ABC News. “We want to reexamine whether there's additional evidence that we were not aware of in November of 2024, that exists now that would change our assessment of the case and would result in the grand jury finding that there was criminal conduct.” 

The reopening of the case comes less than two weeks after a former Cornell student filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and gang raped by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell. 

Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus after the alleged incident, though none of the individuals allegedly involved faced criminal charges, according to the DA. Van Houten said his office did not bring charges in 2024 because the woman’s statement to authorities did not allege she was drugged or that she did not consent to engage in sexual activities. 

“She never says that she was drugged without her knowledge. She admits to taking drugs and alcohol voluntarily and with knowledge. She does not allege that she was forced to engage in any acts. She does not say that she was physically helpless or unconscious or incapacitated at any point during the time at the fraternity house,” Van Houten said. 

Thomas P. Giuffra, attorney for Jane Doe, disputed Van Houten’s description of the woman’s initial statement to the Cornell University Police Department and faulted authorities for never following up with his client. 

“In my experience, speaking with an abuse survivor requires delicacy, understanding and specialized training. An average University Police officer would not have these skills. It would be the role of a specially trained detective or district attorney. However, Ms. Doe was never contacted by anybody with those skills,” he said. 

In an interview with ABC News, Van Houten acknowledged that he relied on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and said his office didn’t “independently investigate” the allegations - a policy he said was in line with many upstate New York counties. 

Van Houten also said that a screen shot of part of a Snapchat group chat included in the complaint -- in which Jane Doe claims members of the fraternity discuss the alleged incident -- was never provided to his office. Giuffra said the messages are a “critical piece of evidence” that were provided to authorities in 2024. 

“My client went to the Cornell University Police because a crime was committed. It was the obligation of the police to investigate the complaints. They were given the group chat inviting the members of the fraternity to rape my client. This was a critical piece of evidence supporting that a crime had occurred. Despite this there was no follow-up with Ms. Doe either by the Cornell Police or the Tompkins County District Attorney,” he said. 

ABC News has reached out to the named defendants in the lawsuit, including the seven fraternity members, Cornell and others. 

Cornell said in a Sept. 21 statement that it takes allegations of sexual violence "extremely seriously" and that its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards "investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies."

The university said federal privacy law prevents it from publicly disclosing specific information about individual students or disciplinary responses. Cornell said violations of university policies could result in sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion.

Cornell also said the Xi chapter of Chi Phi "remains barred from our campus."

The university said in a new statement on Monday that it "supports the decision of the Tompkins County District Attorney (DA) to provide an opportunity for the victim’s story, in the 2024 Chi Phi fraternity Sexual Assault case, to be heard by a criminal grand jury."

"Cornell also conducted a thorough Title IX investigation, which is separate from a criminal proceeding, over the course of several months," Monday's statement said. "During that investigation temporary suspensions and other restrictive measures were used. After investigation, and pursuant to federal law, the matter was sent to a hearing where a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days. The complainant and respondents had the opportunity to testify and present evidence. At its conclusion, the hearing panel issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions from Cornell. None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement."

Jane Doe’s lawyers allege that the fraternity members "were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell."

The fraternity was closed in 2024, the school said.

"Any suggestion that the University did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," Cornell said on Monday. "A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault."

An attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar denied the allegations and said the incident detailed in the complaint “did not happen.” 

“At bottom, Scott never sexually assaulted or even touched the plaintiff in any way. Period,” said attorney Jeremy Saland. “We look forward to confronting the plaintiff in a court of law for her selfishly false claims with both the evidence and her own words.” 

Defendant Scott Norris denied engaging in sexual activity or drug use, though he acknowledged that he sent a message that was included in the complaint. 

“I did not participate in any sexual activity or drug use. I was not found responsible by Cornell for any of the accusations involving sexual activity and drug use for which others received serious consequences. I thoughtlessly engaged in Snapchat and briefly stopped in the room where misconduct happened but not when it happened,” he said through an attorney.

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(NEW YORK) -- A 2-year-old girl who went missing Thursday evening in Virginia was found safe early Friday afternoon in the woods by a search team, according to the sheriff's office.

The Cumberland Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police and other law enforcement agencies launched a search for Bridget Maeve Zeigle, who was believed to have walked away from her home at around 6 p.m. Thursday, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities were notified within an hour of Bridget's disappearance, the sheriff's office said.

Bridget was found relatively close to her house, the sheriff's office said.

The search team used aviation and K9 resources to help in their search for the child, according to authorities.

Bridget was described as a white female with short brown hair and blue eyes, and is about 2 feet tall and 30 pounds, according to a Virginia State Police alert.

Bridget was seen wearing an orange dress, blue coat and white tennis shoes, according to the alert.

Police said the child was believed to be on foot.

Virginia State Police issued a CODI alert at approximately 11:30 p.m. Thursday on behalf of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

Cumberland County Public Schools also issued an alert, encouraging community members to contact authorities with any information regarding Bridget's whereabouts.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Supreme Court has given the Trump administration a green light to use a federal citizenship database to verify voters ahead of the midterm elections. 

In a 6-3 opinion, the Supreme Court, for now, lifted a lower court order that blocked the Department of Homeland Security from expanding a 40-year-old immigration database -- known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system -- to help states screen voter records for noncitizens.

The immediate impact of the ruling is unclear, since states are prohibited by law from purging their voter rolls within 90 days of Election Day.

"The District Court's order thus inhibits the Federal Government's efforts to assist state and local agencies in the proper administration of the midterm elections. Under these circumstances, the equities weigh in favor of a stay," the majority wrote. 

President Donald Trump has characterized noncitizen voting as a pressing threat to free and fair elections, but audits of voter rolls have suggested that voting by noncitizens is exceedingly rare.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) -- Millions in the Northeast are bracing for a powerful nor'easter set to bring pounding rain and strong winds to the region through the weekend.

The nor'easter could also cause power outages and could spark flight disruptions along the Northeast coast.

Here's the latest forecast:

Waves:

The storm is bringing massive waves for days, which will cause significant beach erosion.

Waves up to 19 feet have been recorded already along North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Waves up to 12 feet are possible from the Outer Banks to the New Jersey shore through Saturday, and along the New England coast through Sunday.  

Coastal flood alerts are in effect from the Outer Banks to Maine, as some areas will see flood inundation up to 3 feet above normal levels. 

Winds:

Strong winds are also a major threat as the nor'easter moves north.

The Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts are under a high wind warning from Friday night to Sunday, with dangerous gusts up to 60 mph possible.

The Jersey Shore is under a high wind warning from Friday night to Sunday, with dangerous gusts up to 60 mph possible.

New York City could see wind gusts of 40-to-50 mph Friday night through Sunday. 

Rain:

The rain will move in Saturday morning, falling from New Jersey to Massachusetts throughout the day.

The storm will reach peak strength on Saturday and then weaken slightly on Sunday as it stalls over New Jersey.

On Sunday, the rain will become more scattered, but still much of the day will be wet from Washington, D.C., to Maine.

The nor'easter will weaken on Monday as it slowly moves into New England, and then will die out on Tuesday. 

The storm could bring 4-to-6 inches of rain to Boston, Rhode Island, coastal New Jersey and Long Island, New York, with a widespread 2-to-4 inches of rain from Delaware to Maine.

Isolated flash flooding is possible, but because this rain is falling over multiple days, widespread and significant flash flooding is unlikely. 

Nor'easters get their name because winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast. These storms may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April.

Nor'easters nearly always bring precipitation in the form of heavy rain or snow, as well as gale-force winds, rough seas, and coastal flooding.

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(NEW YORK) -- The family of Nolan Wells on Wednesday released the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy report on the 18-year-old's death. It found that the cause and manner of death are "undetermined."

This conclusion matches the findings of the private autopsy commissioned by Wells' family, which preliminarily ruled his cause and manner of death as "undetermined pending investigation," with the independent pathologist acknowledging multiple limitations in the report.

"Losing a child, it truly breaks your heart ... especially someone like Nolan, who brought so much joy and light and life to everyone," Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, told reporters in July.

"The only question we have is, what happened to our son?" she said.

The circumstances surrounding Wells' death garnered national interest after the college football player went missing on the 4th of July after going on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island. Officials said it appeared Wells stayed behind on the island after his friends left.

The teen's body was recovered on July 6, and authorities said they suspect he drowned.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said there was no initial indication of a crime, but he stressed that investigators were "working diligently to determine exactly what occurred."

Ledbetter also said the sheriff's office welcomed the family's independent investigation.

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