A former American Idol contestant has been found guilty of killing his wife after prosecutors argued that he wanted to end his marriage and start a new life with another woman.
Caleb Flynn, a former pastor who appeared on American Idol in 2013, was convicted Tuesday of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of his wife, Ashley Flynn. The jury reached its verdict after roughly two hours of deliberation.
Ashley, 37, was found fatally shot inside the couple’s home on Feb. 16. Caleb had called 911 and told authorities that an intruder had broken into the house and killed his wife. Prosecutors later argued that there was no evidence supporting the claimed break-in and that the scene had been staged to make it appear as though someone else was responsible.
A major part of the prosecution’s case involved Flynn’s relationship with Alleigha Botner, a 24-year-old woman with whom he had been having an affair. Prosecutors presented more than 100,000 messages exchanged between the two, including messages in which Flynn repeatedly expressed anger toward his wife and discussed wanting her gone. Botner also testified during the trial.
Prosecutors pointed to messages Flynn sent shortly before Ashley’s death, including statements about being “free” and choosing Botner. They argued those messages, along with digital evidence and the condition of the home, showed that the killing had been planned.
Flynn’s defense maintained that he did not kill his wife and argued that prosecutors lacked direct physical evidence tying him to the shooting. The defense also pointed to the fact that the murder weapon has not been recovered. Flynn pleaded not guilty throughout the case.
The guilty verdict brings the murder trial to an end, but Flynn’s case is not yet finished. He faces a possible sentence of life in prison without parole, with sentencing scheduled for Oct. 5. His legal team has indicated that it plans to appeal the conviction.