EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 28: An image of a woman holding a cell phone in front of the American Idol logo displayed on a computer screen, on April 29, 2024, in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Former ‘American Idol’ contestant Caleb Flynn was found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn. The 40-year-old was convicted by a jury in Troy, Ohio, on Tuesday, September 29.
Caleb Flynn was found guilty of murdering his wife on Tuesday, according to ABC News. Ashley Flynn, 37, was found shot to death in her home in Tipp City, Ohio, on Monday, February 16.
Flynn sobbed as the verdict was read by Judge Jeannine Pratt in the Miami County Court of Common Pleas before he was taken away in handcuffs, per NBC News. The convicted murderer was a contestant on ‘American Idol’ back in 2013.
In addition to being a former ‘American Idol’ contestant, Flynn is also a former pastor. His wife was found after Flynn called 911 and claimed that she’d been killed by an intruder. He was arrested three days later and charged with multiple counts of aggravated murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence. He pleaded not guilty.
The Shade Room reported that Flynn called 911 and claimed that someone broke into the couple’s home and killed his wife. Ashley Flynn was found shot in the head, but the murder weapon was never found. Flynn reportedly kept a 9mm handgun in the console of his truck, but it was missing.
“Somebody broke into my home and killed my wife,” he claimed, per KHOU 11. “The door leading to the garage was wide open and when I ran in there….”
“Theres blood everywhere,” he added. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”
However, prosecutors claimed that Flynn staged the scene to look like an intruder had broken in an attempt to mislead investigators. Furthermore, they added that Flynn murdered his wife to be with his mistress, Alleigha Botner. Flynn met Botner when she was 20 and a church intern in his congregation, per Court TV.
Botner testified that she told Flynn she wanted to kill his wife, per NBC News. However, in text messages, she said she was not serious and that Flynn should get divorced. She also said that she thinks Flynn killed his wife.
“I want to kill her, Caleb.”
She claimed Flynn replied:
“That makes two of us.”
Not only that, but prosecutors said Flynn was a beneficiary on Ashley’s life insurance policy and wanted to keep his job with the family business.
“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,” said Miami County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Joseph. “The evidence does not tell the story of an intruder.”
Joseph also said that Flynn lied when he claimed to be sleeping on the couch when his wife was shot.
“While the defendant told law enforcement that he was sleeping, his electronic devices documented something different. They documented movement and activity in the hours leading up to Ashleys murder… Being the victim allowed him to do that without being the husband who left his wife for a mistress,” Joseph added per NBC News. “Instead, hed be the husband whose wife was tragically murdered by an unknown intruder.”
Joseph also noted that the police found Flynn’s truck in the garage with “the console up,” but no gun.
“Ashley was shot twice in her head with 9mm bullets,” said Joseph.
Flynn’s bond was revoked upon the guilty verdict. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 5.
Ashley Flynn was a school teacher and volleyball coach, and Tipp City Schools noted her passing onFacebook.
“Tipp City Schools extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, and students of Ashley Flynn,” reads the post. “Ashley was a Tippecanoe Middle School volleyball coach, a dedicated substitute teacher, and a former Tipp City Schools teacher. She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so manyboth in and out of the classroom and on the court. Our thoughts are with all who are grieving during this difficult time.”
