A former contestant from American Idol, now a committed Christian, faces charges of murdering his wife in their Ohio home while their children were asleep in nearby rooms.

Caleb Flynn, 39, allegedly shot and killed his wife, Ashley Flynn, 37, in the early hours of February 16 at their home in Tipp City, a community approximately 20 miles north of Dayton.

Ashley Flynn, who was cherished as a teacher, volleyball coach, and mother, was discovered unresponsive following a 911 call reporting that she had been shot.

Authorities confirmed that Ashley had been shot twice and was declared dead upon the officers’ arrival at around 2:30 a.m.

Court documents suggest that Caleb Flynn used a 9mm handgun in the crime and subsequently attempted to stage the scene to deceive investigators.

Prosecutors have filed documents asserting that Flynn “murdered his wife” on the morning of February 16 and deliberately altered the scene to mislead law enforcement.

He has been charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence. 

Singer Caleb Flynn, who was a contestant on the competition show American Idol in 2013, has been arrested for the murder of his wife

Ashley (far right), pictured with her two daughters and Caleb, was found unresponsive after a 911 call reported she had been shot

His bond was set at $2 million during his arraignment Friday morning, and he is due back in court next Thursday for a preliminary hearing.  

Jail records show he was booked into the Miami County Jail at 5.07pm on Thursday. 

According to dispatch logs, officers initially responded to reports of a possible burglary at the family’s home at the residence in the 900 block of Cunningham Court.

Early notes indicated the garage door was open and suggested a potential intruder could still be inside.

A caller inside the house told dispatchers that a woman had been shot in the head and was not responding.

Court records state Flynn told operators he was unsure whether an intruder was still inside the house. 

The caller also stated that the children were asleep in their rooms.

Minutes later, dispatchers clarified that the juveniles were ‘in their own rooms asleep,’ not barricaded with a parent as first believed.

Flynn was taken to county jail for murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence, according to official records seen by the site

Investigators later determined that only Ashley, Caleb and their two daughters were inside the residence at the time of the shooting. 

The couple’s two elementary-aged daughters and their two Goldendoodles were home but remained asleep throughout the incident, according to court records. 

When officers arrived, Ashley was found in bed in the master bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. 

Two shell casings were discovered near the foot of the bed, the affidavit states.

Inside the garage, investigators found the center console of a 2024 Ford pickup truck open – where Flynn told police he kept his handgun. 

Police also noted that a large refrigerator had been positioned in front of the garage’s side door and would have had to be pushed aside to open it.

Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins denied reports circulating online that a suspect had confessed. 

‘The Flynn family is coping with an unimaginable loss, and the department will not try this case in the media,’ said Adkins on Thursday. ‘This matter will be resolved through the judicial process and adjudicated in a court of law. 

The FBI, Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have been assisting Tipp City Police with the ‘complex’ probe.

Flynn seen on American Idol in 2013

Police have said they believe the killing was an isolated incident targeted at the residence and that there is no danger to the public. 

Flynn previously competed on American Idol in 2013. In a hometown interview segment for the show, he spoke about his Christian faith and his devotion to his wife.

‘I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty. … I love her,’ he said at the time.

Flynn had also served as a music pastor and worship leader at Christian Life Center in Butler Township. 

Ashley’s school district remembered her as a dedicated educator who left a lasting mark on her students. 

She was a graduate of Tippecanoe High School and Lee University and coached girls volleyball at Tippecanoe Middle School.

She also worked as a substitute teacher for Tipp City Schools and taught at LifeWise Academy, a nonprofit providing Bible-based lessons to public school students. 

‘She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness and the positive impact she had on so many – both in and out of the classroom and on the court,’ the district said in a statement.

Christian Life Center in Butler Township also paid tribute to Ashley. In a Facebook post, Pastor Jordan Hansen wrote that she had been ‘murdered in her home’ and called on the community to pray for her husband and their two daughters. 

‘Ashley Flynn is with Jesus. Please pray for her husband and two daughters and extended family left behind. Please pray for [the] ongoing investigation. Please pray for God’s very presence to bring comfort to an unfathomable situation,’ he said in a Facebook post. ‘We need Jesus and His grace in the ‘What now?”

A GoFundMe established after Ashley Flynn’s death raised more than $100,000 in its first day. 

The investigation remains ongoing.

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