Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn wept again on the second day of his murder trial as jurors heard disturbing evidence about the discovery of his wife’s body.
Flynn, 40, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from the fatal shooting of his wife, Ashley, 37, at the couple’s family home in Tipp City, Ohio, on February 16.
During the second day of proceedings, jurors were shown photographs of Ashley Flynn’s body in the bed where she was found. Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agent David Hammond also took the stand to describe the evidence collected at the scene.
The accused father of two appeared overcome with emotion, screwing up his face and sobbing as the graphic photographs were presented in court.
“This is a photograph, it shows the overall positioning of Ashley,” Special Agent Hammond told jurors.
“It just shows a white towel that was behind her head. You’ll see some reddish stain, which was suspected blood, and her body is covered by a white comforter.”
While describing another image, Hammond said a substantial amount of blood had soaked through the pillow and the sheets beneath Ashley.
The couple’s daughters, aged 10 and 12, were inside the single-story ranch-style home when their father allegedly shot their mother in the head with a 9mm handgun.
Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn broke down in tears again as jurors heard graphic evidence about how his wife was found dead on the second day of his murder trial.
Flynn is charged in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife, Ashley.
Investigators reveal clues that suggested break-in was staged
Ashley was found dead at the residence on February 16, after Flynn reported to law enforcement that the home had been broken into.
Investigators later arrested Flynn and accused him of staging the crime scene in an attempt to mislead authorities.
He faces charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. Flynn has denied all of the allegations and pleaded not guilty to every charge.
Hammond also outlined the evidence that led investigators to believe the reported break-in had been staged.
“The one thing that looks fairly unusual was that in the soft wood of the doorframe, I didn’t notice any marks,” Hammond testified.
He explained that forcing a door open would typically involve inserting a pry tool between the door and its frame to create leverage.
“So typically in burglaries we see the receivers displaced, and we see a tool mark in this area,” he said, referring to the soft wood of the doorframe.
Hammond added that he had found no damage to the deadbolt itself.
Ashley was found dead at the home on February 16 after Flynn told police the residence had been targeted in a break-in.
Flynn appeared on the 12th season of American Idol in 2013.
Prosecutors reveal Flynn’s chilling texts to his mistress
‘Both of the locks were unlocked when I examined them, which was really curious.
‘There was no evidence that I could see that a ply tool had been inserted between the door and the doorframe.’
Hammond added that normally when screws are plied from doorframes, they normally take pieces of wood with them. ‘We did not see that here,’ he told the court.
Flynn’s trial started on Friday with opening statements from prosecutors highlighting over 100,000 messages he sent to a woman he was having an affair with.
It is in these text messages that prosecutors claimed Flynn, who competed on American Idol talent show in 2013, expressed his desire to have Ashley killed.
During opening statements on Friday, Prosecutor Paul M. Watkins said that Flynn, a father of two, had been having a ‘yearslong’ affair with the unknown woman.
Watkins claimed that Flynn had messaged his mistress saying: ‘If I could literally kill her and not go to hell I would do it in a heartbeat. That is how dark and hateful I feel.’
In another, Watkins claimed Flynn had also messaged her saying: ‘I was up until 4AM last night crying. Literally crying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.’
Watkins added: ‘Those two messages are Caleb Flynn’s own words, words communicated to his mistress. Those messages were sent months apart.’
Flynn’s defense admitted to the affair but have said that the state built its case on a theory, and that they would be unable to prove it beyond reasonable doubt.
Defense attorney Emily Smith told the court: ‘The evidence will show text messages between Caleb and his mistress.
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agent David Hammond gave evidence on day two.
Flynn breaks down as chilling 911 call is played
‘At times Caleb said hurtful, selfish things about his wife Ashley to appease his mistress.
‘They will also demonstrate that he was texting his mistress about making plans regarding a divorce throughout the time of their relationship.’
At one point during proceedings Flynn broke down in tears as the 911 call he made to police was played out to the court.
He could be heard telling a dispatcher: ‘Somebody broke into my home – somebody broke into my home and shot my wife.
‘My wife, she’s got two shots to her head. There’s blood everywhere. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.’
Court documents allege that Caleb used a 9mm handgun to shoot his wife in the head, while their two children were sleeping in rooms nearby.
The trial continues.
