Prosecutors: 100K Texts Show Idol Contestant’s Wife Murder Motive

Former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn allegedly told his mistress he was “literally trying to think of ways to kill” his wife without being sent to prison before prosecutors say he shot her and staged the Ohio home to resemble the scene of a break-in.

The disturbing message was reportedly one of more than 100,000 texts Flynn exchanged with his mistress during the year before his wife, Ashley Flynn, was killed on Feb. 16, WHIO in Dayton reported.

“I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail,” Flynn allegedly wrote.

During opening statements Friday, prosecutors said Flynn had maintained a yearlong affair and argued that the messages revealed both a possible motive and his intent, according to WHIO.

Miami County Prosecutor Paul Watkins told jurors that the texts—some sent months before the killing and others just hours beforehand—showed Flynn repeatedly expressing hatred for his wife and a desire to be free of her so he could build a life with his mistress.

Flynn has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges connected to his wife’s death.

Fox News legal analyst Josh Ritter said Sunday that a message Flynn allegedly sent the day before Ashley was killed could be especially damaging to the defense.

Flynn allegedly suggested that the next day would be one he would never forget and said he would make his choice for his mistress, Ritter said on “Fox & Friends Sunday.”

“If we were curious at all about how the prosecution would attempt to prove motive in this case, it became abundantly clear during opening statements,” Ritter said.

Flynn’s attorneys acknowledged the affair in their opening statement but maintained that his behavior as a husband did not prove he killed Ashley, WHIO reported.

Defense attorney Emily Smith told jurors that prosecutors’ case relied on circumstantial evidence rather than direct proof that Flynn was responsible. She argued that Ashley deserved justice based on evidence, not speculation.

Prosecutors allege Flynn used a 9mm handgun to shoot Ashley inside the couple’s Tipp City, Ohio, home before arranging the scene to make it appear that an intruder had killed her.

Flynn called 911 and reported that someone had entered the home and shot his wife, according to audio previously obtained by News Outlet.

“Oh my god, somebody broke into my home, somebody broke into my home and shot my wife,” Flynn told the dispatcher. “My wife, she’s got two shots to her head, there’s blood everywhere. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my God.”

Jurors were shown police body-camera footage Friday from inside the Flynn residence on the night of the killing. The first responding officers also testified about their initial investigation, WHIO reported.

The video showed Flynn telling officers that an intruder had broken into the home and killed his wife. One officer testified that Flynn said he had fallen asleep, then awoke to the sound of a break-in followed by gunfire.

An FBI agent also testified that investigators canvassed more than 80 homes looking for cameras or other evidence that could support Flynn’s claim that an intruder had been in the neighborhood.

Flynn was a contestant on “American Idol” and spoke publicly about his love for his wife during a 2013 hometown interview for the show.

“I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty…. I love her,” Flynn said at the time.

Ritter called the alleged messages between Flynn and his mistress “really, really damning evidence.”

He noted Flynn remains presumed innocent and said the defense appears to be pursuing a theory that investigators rushed to judgment.

“But given that abundance of digital evidence, I think they’re going to have a really tough time proving, or trying to create any kind of reasonable doubt in this case,” Ritter said.

Jurors are expected back in court Monday morning as testimony continues.