‘American idol’ star Caleb Flynn gets sentencing date after murder conviction
‘American Idol’ contestant Caleb Flynn was found guilty of murdering his wife
Caleb Flynn, a former American Idol contestant, has been found guilty of murdering his wife Ashley Flynn in her sleep at their Ohio home.
On September 29, Caleb was convicted of the charges against him, including aggravated murder. His sentencing will take place on October 5, and he faces up to life in prison without parole, according to NBC News.
Ashley was pronounced dead in the early morning of February 16 after police were dispatched to her Tipp City, Ohio, home due to reports of a burglary in progress and a shooting, the Tipp City Police Department said in a statement.
Caleb and their two daughters, who were 9 and 12 at the time, were also home but uninjured.
The father of two was however, arrested a few days after and charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence, all of which he pleaded not guilty to.
During his murder trial in September, his mistress, Alleigha Botner, among many others, testified. Alleigha, with whom he had an affair for over two years, read chilling texts between her and Caleb in which they both expressed they wanted to see Ashley dead.
Everything to know about Caleb Flynn murder case:
On February 16, Caleb Flynn’s wife, Ashley was fatally shot in the head at her Ohio home while she was in bed sleeping. She was found dead in the early morning after police responded to Caleb’s own report of a burglary and shooting, per the Tipp City Police Department.
In a 911 call obtained by PEOPLE, Caleb broke down multiple times and cried out, “Oh my God.” During his first interview with police, he claimed that he was laying in his daughters’ room when the shooting occurred, per WHIO.
However, in subsequent police interviews, Caleb claimed he was sleeping on the sofa and woke up to gunshot sounds, according toNBC News.
Caleb was arrested on February 19 and was charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE at the time. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The jury delivered a guilty verdict on September 29, and after two hours of deliberation, Caleb was convicted of aggravated murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.
His sentencing will take place on October 5, and he faces up to life in prison without parole, as reported byNBC News.
After the verdict was announced, Miami County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Watkins read from a statement from Ashley’s family. They said the verdict brings “justice and accountability,” but “no verdict can bring Ashley back, give the girls back their mother, or erase the pain our family has endured. The cruelty of what happened to Ashley, and the things we’ve been forced to hear and relive, have at times felt unbearable.”
