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A former music pastor who once graced the stage of American Idol found himself in handcuffs Thursday, accused of fatally shooting his wife and attempting to disguise the incident as a failed home invasion.
Caleb Flynn, aged 39, dialed 911 early Monday morning, claiming there was a burglary in progress and that a resident had been shot, according to a report by the Dayton Daily News. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered 37-year-old Ashley Flynn had been fatally shot twice. There were also indications of forced entry.
On Thursday, as plans were being made for a memorial service at the couple’s church to honor the beloved teacher and volleyball coach, authorities took Caleb Flynn into custody, charging him with murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence.
“This sensitive matter warrants a thorough, professional, and compassionate investigation for the sake of the family and community,” stated Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins in a Thursday evening release. “The investigation has provided probable cause to charge Caleb Flynn with the murder of his wife. Given the ongoing nature of this case, further investigative details will remain confidential for now.”
A criminal complaint submitted Friday morning, ahead of Flynn’s court appearance, shed some light on the case, revealing that the initial investigation was hampered by the staged crime scene.
The affidavit said that officers found a door to the garage open and Ashley Flynn dead in bed in the master bedroom. She had been shot in the head. They found two casings on the floor at the foot of the bed.
In the garage, officers found the center console in a pickup truck open, and Caleb Flynn told them that’s where he kept his gun. The open door to the garage had a large refrigerator in front of it which “would’ve had to be pushed open to open the door,” according to the affidavit.
Additionally, the affidavit said, the couple’s two young daughters were home and apparently did not wake up.
Both Flynns were former staff members of the Christian Life Center, where Caleb Flynn had been a music pastor and worship leader. Ashley Flynn coached volleyball at Tippecanoe Middle School and was also a substitute teach for Tipp City Schools, where she had previously taught elementary school. She also taught bible lessons at LifeWise Academy.
Caleb Flynn was an American Idol contestant in 2013, when he said during an interview that he loves his wife “more than anything” because “she is very, very pretty.” He got a “golden ticket to Hollywood from the Chicago auditions but did not make it to the televised rounds of the show.