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Caleb Flynn cries as interrogation tapes are played at trial
Testimony to resume in ex-American Idol murder case. The former pastor cried in court this week.
Caleb Flynn, a former "American Idol" contestant, was convicted of killing his wife while he was having an affair.
Flynn was found guilty on all counts.
Flynn faced nine charges: one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and three counts of tampering with evidence involving the missing firearm, the side garage door and emails. Jurors also considered firearm specifications attached to several charges.
What's next:
Flynn's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5.
Caleb Flynn convicted
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Caleb Flynn becomes emotional in court during his murder trial in Ohio. Flynn is accused of killing his wife, Ashley Flynn, in February 2026 and staging the scene to look like a break-in. (COURTESY: WKEF)
Prosecutors said Flynn, 40, staged a home invasion in February after shooting his wife, Ashley Flynn, a 37-year-old schoolteacher and volleyball coach.
Flynn, who claimed his wife was killed by a burglar, could now be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. He closed his eyes, shook his head to the side and fought to maintain his composure as the judge read the guilty verdicts to murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
Flynn appeared on "American Idol" in 2013, telling TV viewers about how his wife had encouraged him to chase his dreams on the singing competition. He sang before judges Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj but did not advance to the main competition in Hollywood.
Caleb Flynn trial
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During the trial, a woman who said she was having an affair with Flynn testified that he said he hated his wife and had thoughts of killing her.
Flynn’s attorney told the jury Tuesday that investigators never found a gun or evidence that Flynn fired a gun that day.
"His being unfaithful doesn’t equal murder," said defense attorney Patrick Mulligan. "The issue here isn’t, ‘Was he a good husband?’"
Text messages Flynn sent to his lover complaining about his wife were meant to make her feel good, Mulligan said.
Alleigha Botner testified she met Flynn in 2022 while she was a 20-year-old intern at his church and had an affair with him for more than a year. Botner read some of her text messages with Flynn.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from reporting by FOX News and The Associated Press.