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An American Idol contestant has been accused of murdering his wife, who had previously urged him to try out for the show.
Caleb Flynn was taken into custody on February 19, just four days after authorities discovered his wife, Ashley Flynn, dead from gunshot wounds in their Ohio residence, as per a statement from the Tipp City Police Department.
Flynn is charged with one count of murder, along with two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence. During his arraignment on February 20, Caleb entered a plea of not guilty.
Police responded to a call at the Flynn home on February 16, following a report of a possible break-in.
In a 911 call obtained by TMZ, Caleb allegedly reported, “Someone broke into my home,” noting that the garage door was open while their two daughters were asleep. He further stated, “My wife, she’s got two shots to her head.”
As he was heard saying, “There’s blood everywhere.”
The 39-year-old allegedly told 911 that he tried rubbing his wife’s leg and saying her name, but she did not respond. When police arrived at the scene, the 37-year-old was pronounced dead.
Caleb is being held at the Miami County Jail and his bond is set at $2 million.
“I just want to take care of my daughters,” Caleb said in court, according to Dayton Daily News. “I’m not a risk.”
Back in 2013, when Caleb auditioned for American Idol, he credited his wife with encouraging him to seek stardom.
“I absolutely love the Lord, I love my wife more than anything,” Caleb, who described himself as a music pastor, said on the show. “She is very, very pretty … but, you know, I’m just a normal person who absolutely loves to sing.”
L. Patrick Mulligan, an attorney for Caleb, told Oxygen that his client is looking forward to clearing his name.
“We are both disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case,” said Mulligan. “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.”