American Idol star and former pastor arrested for murder of ‘Carrie Underwood lookalike’ wife

Caleb Flynn, who auditioned for the 2013 season of American Idol and a former music pastor, has been arrested for the murder of his wife Ashley.

The 39-year-old, from Ohio, was arrested Thursday, February 19, and charged with murder and two counts each of felonious assault and tampering with evidence. He pleaded not guilty Friday in a video-arraignment from Miami County Jail.

Ashley, 37, was shot with a 9mm handgun in the early hours of Monday February 16. Around 2.30am that morning, Caleb called 911 to report his wife had been shot, and that he feared a home intruder may still be in the house.

Law enforcement officials indicated in their report that signs of forced entry appeared “staged”. The Flynns’ two young daughters were home asleep at the time and had not been harmed.

In a statement to the press, Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins said: “The family and community deserve a thorough, professional and compassionate investigation into this very sensitive matter. As a result of the investigation, probable cause existed to charge Caleb Flynn with the murder of his wife. Due to the ongoing nature of this case, specific investigative details will not be released at this time.”

Bail was set at $2 million, and Caleb is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, February 26. “I just want to take care of my daughters,” he told Judge Samuel Huffman. “I’m not a risk.”

Ashley was a middle school girls’ volleyball coach and a substitute teacher for Tipp City Schools, about 20 miles north of Dayton, Ohio.

Caleb’s defense attorney, L. Patrick Mulligan, told the Dayton Daily News: “It’s disturbing the speed at which this occurred. I question the thoroughness [of the investigation].”

“It denies him the opportunity to be at the funeral for his wife, which is an unspeakable tragedy,” Mr Mulligan added.

Caleb auditioned during the Chicago rounds of the 12th season of American Idol, and received the golden ticket from the judges Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban. He told the audience that his wife had “nudged” him to audition.

“The thing that makes me unique is that I love the Lord and I love my wife, she is very, very pretty, just oof I love her,” he added, “but I am a normal person who loves to sing.”

He said Carrie Underwood was his favorite Idol winner, and joked: “If my wife dyed her hair blonde, she would look just like her.”