Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn convicted of murdering wife in Ohio

Caleb Flynn, a 40‑year‑old former Ohio music pastor who appeared on the 12th series of American Idol, has been found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn.

The jury concluded after less than three hours of deliberation that Flynn shot Ashley twice in the back of the head while she slept at their home in Tipp City, a suburb of Dayton, on 16 February. He was also convicted of eight additional offences, including aggravated murder and tampering with evidence, and faces life imprisonment without parole.

During the eight‑day trial, prosecutors presented police body‑camera footage, data from Flynn’s iPhone and Apple Watch, and dozens of witness statements. A former mistress, Alleigha Botner, testified about an 18‑month relationship with Flynn and read aloud excerpts from over 100,000 text messages exchanged between them, some of which expressed a desire to kill Ashley.

Flynn’s defence did not call any witnesses, and his lawyer, Patrick Mulligan, argued that there was no concrete evidence linking his client to the murder. Flynn was observed wiping tears from his eyes as the verdict was delivered.

Flynn had previously been a schoolteacher’s husband, a volleyball coach, and a pastor at his wife’s family business. The missing gun, previously stored in his truck’s console, has not been recovered.

Category: International

Source: BBC News. Photo: Boko Shots / Pexels.