A former television singing contestant has gone on trial for allegedly fatally shooting his wife and staging the crime scene, according to prosecutors.
Caleb Flynn, who once worked as a music pastor, resided with his family in Tipp City, Ohio.
His wife, Ashley Flynn, was 37 years old when she died one week ahead of her 38th birthday, per the Dayton Daily News.
The couple had been married for 15 years before her death. They shared two daughters together.
She worked as a teacher in Tipp City and coached volleyball for Tippecanoe Middle School, according to Tipp City Schools.
Ashley was also a member of the Christian Life Center in Butler Township. Her husband had previously worked at the church as a music pastor.
“Ashley lived her life as the hands and feet of Jesus. Her laughter was contagious,” reads a GoFundMe page established by her friend, Jon Crawford.
“She was an incredible encourager who loved people deeply. She was a devoted wife, an amazing mother, and a cherished daughter, sister, and friend.”
In 2013, the defendant appeared as a contestant on season 12 of American Idol.
While appearing on the season, he spoke of Ashley, describing her as a “very, very pretty wife,” and said that he loved her “more than anything.”
On February 16, 2026, police responded to a 911 call placed from the couple’s Tipp City home.
Bodycam footage shared by police captured Flynn sobbing at the home after officers responded to the call.
He claimed there had been a break-in during which Ashley was killed by a burglar. Investigators, however, arrested Flynn days later as the primary suspect in the death, police said.
He was also recorded telling Ashley’s mother over the phone that her daughter was “gone,” and “someone broke in and shot her.”
Flynn claimed an intruder was responsible for the killing. Prosecutors, however, accuse him of staging the crime scene after he allegedly fatally shot Ashley at their home, court records state.
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On February 19, 2026, police arrested the former contestant in his wife’s death.
On February 20, defense attorney L. Patrick Mulligan told Us via email that he “looks forward to defending this case.”
In a previous statement to Us, Mulligan said that he and his client were “both disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case.”
On March 16, prosecutors announced in a news release that Flynn had been indicted on a slew of charges in Ashley’s death.
The indictment charged him with one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, and two counts of felonious assault.
He was also charged with three counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of intimidation of an attorney, victim, or witness in a criminal case, according to prosecutors.
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to all charges, according to CNN.
If convicted, the defendant faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to prosecutors.
On September 15, Mulligan told CNN: “We’re looking forward to trying the case.”
“We’ve been waiting for this,” the defense attorney added. Mulligan did not immediately return a request for comment from Us.
On September 17, Flynn’s murder trial started with jury selection, seven months after his arrest.
The trial is estimated to last roughly two weeks, per CNN.
Jurors selected on Thursday are slated to visit the Tipp City home during the proceedings. They are also scheduled to hear the testimonies of Ashley’s loved ones.
His daughters and a woman Flynn was allegedly having an affair with are also expected to testify against him, according to People.
Flynn remains on trial in Ohio after pleading not guilty to all charges, according to CNN.
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