Former ‘American Idol’ contestant Caleb Flynn goes on trial for his wife’s murder
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TROY, Ohio — Jury selection has begun for the murder trial of Caleb Flynn, the former “American Idol” contestant accused of killing his wife and then staging their home to look like her death was the result of a violent home invasion.
Flynn, 40, is charged with one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, three counts of tampering with evidence, and two misdemeanor counts of intimidation of an attorney, victim, or witness in a criminal case.
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial begins Thursday at the Miami County Courthouse in Troy, Ohio.
“We’re looking forward to trying the case,” his defense attorney, Patrick Mulligan, told CNN Tuesday. “We’ve been waiting for this.”
The murder trial is slated to last about two weeks. During the proceedings, the jurors are expected to visit the family’s home to view the crime scene and hear testimony from several of Ashley’s family members – including the couple’s preteen daughters, who are crucial to their father’s presumed alibi.
Flynn, a former pastor, was a contestant on “American Idol” in 2013. A clip of him still exists on the show’s YouTube channel. Throughout the two-minute clip, Flynn frequently references his faith and his now deceased wife, Ashley Flynn.
Ashley Flynn found dead
In the early morning hours of Feb. 16, law enforcement officers responded to the Flynn family home in Tipp City after Caleb Flynn called 911 and reported someone had broken into his house and fatally shot his wife, Ashley.
“Oh, my God! Somebody broke into my home! Somebody broke into my home and shot my wife,” Flynn says in a recording of the 911 call he made at about 2:30 a.m. “My wife, she’s got two shots to her head. There’s blood everywhere. Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!”
As arriving officers secured the scene over the next hour, police bodycam footage captured Flynn sobbing, calling loved ones and appearing to vomit. When Ashley’s mother arrived at the home, he fell to his knees, wailing, before they embraced on the front lawn.
“The girls don’t know, the girls are sleeping,” Flynn said as he hugged her. “I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do.”
“I don’t know what to do either,” the grandmother said through tears. “I’m just – I’m in shock.”
Flynn later told investigators he had been sleeping in the living room that night because he had a bad cough, according to a conversation captured on police body-worn cameras. He woke up when he heard one of their dogs moving, he said, and assumed one of the children had gotten out of bed.
“I went in their room, and I laid down with them for – I don’t even know how long, and that’s when I heard it,” Flynn told the officers, saying he “froze” when he heard a gunshot.
“When I finally got up, the door leading to the garage was open, but I didn’t see anybody,” he said.
Flynn, his wife and their two daughters were the only ones home at the time of the killing. The Flynn children reportedly slept through the shooting.
Investigation and arrest
Prosecutors now allege that Flynn shot his wife, staged the home to look like someone had broken in through the garage, and then called 911.
“Officers were led astray by the staging of the crime scene,” a criminal complaint reads.
A supplemental case report from police states: “As we exited this master bedroom, we walked to the garage, where we observed a side door to the garage on the north side of the home that was open. As we were looking at the door, we noticed the door had a large fridge in front of it that would’ve had to be pushed to open the door.”
In addition, police say they found the center console of Flynn’s truck open, where Flynn told law enforcement he kept his handgun.
Three days after Ashley’s death, Flynn was arrested for investigation of murder. He was booked into the Miami County Jail on a $2 million bond.
“As a result of the investigation, probable cause existed to charge Caleb Flynn with the murder of his wife,” Tipp City police said in a news release announcing his arrest. “Due to the ongoing nature of this case, specific investigative details will not be released at this time.”
Ashley’s family believes the arrest was made “carefully and not without serious consideration,” according to a statement shared with CNN affiliate WKEF.
“After speaking with both local police and federal authorities, we trust the proper steps were taken and the process is being handled appropriately,” they wrote. “We kindly ask for privacy as we work through this complex situation.”
Flynn was eventually indicted on March 18, and his bond was later raised to $3.5 million.
Prosecution of Caleb Flynn
Prosecutors have so far been tight-lipped about their case, releasing few details as to why they believe Flynn committed this crime or what his motive may have been. But with the trial beginning Thursday, much of that information is expected to be revealed over the next few days.
“It will become apparent what the status of the evidence is as things go on,” Mulligan told CNN, adding he didn’t believe the prosecution would be able to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. He previously suggested authorities had made a “rush to judgment” in arresting his client.
“When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases,” the defense attorney said in a statement to The Associated Press shortly after Flynn’s arrest in February.
Weeks before the trial’s start, Judge Jeannine Pratt denied a defense motion to change the venue of the trial and a motion from prosecutors to sequester the jury, with both parties arguing the high public interest in the case could jeopardize the impartiality of the panel.
The court will impose additional measures to ensure jurors are impartial, Pratt wrote in her ruling, and may reconsider the parties’ requests if any issues arise while seating the jury.
If jurors convict Flynn of the most serious charge, he could be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The trial is scheduled to begin weekdays at 9 a.m. EDT (7 a.m. MDT). Courtroom Insider producer Grace Wong will be posting live updates from inside the courtroom.
Although Flynn has been accused of a crime, that does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.