‘American Idol’s Caleb Flynn Claims ‘I Didn’t Touch My Wife’ in Tape Played in Murder Trial

Closing arguments are underway in the trial of Caleb Flynn, a church pastor and former American Idol contestant who is accused of fatally shooting his wife, Ashley Flynn, inside their Ohio home in February.

On Monday (September 28), the prosecution played the tape of a police interview for jurors, in which Caleb (40) told the cops, “I’m telling you, I didn’t touch my wife,” per a report by the Dayton Daily News. “The evidence is a little contrary to that,” one of the investigators responded.

Caleb, who appeared on the 12th season of American Idol in 2013, has pleaded not guilty. He is charged with shooting Ashley in the head while she was sleeping in bed and while their two daughters, now 10 and 12, were sleeping in their bedrooms close by.

In addition, Caleb faces a charge of tampering with evidence. If convicted of the most serious charge of aggravated murder, he could face life in prison without parole.

Caleb claimed that his wife was killed by a home intruder who entered the house while he was asleep in one of his daughters’ bedrooms. However, investigators testified that they never found any evidence to support those claims.

Prosecutors argue that Caleb murdered his wife and staged a home invasion to cover up a two-year affair with a fellow worship leader at his church, Alleigha Botner (24). During the trial, Botner was made to read her text messages with Caleb, one of which said, “I want to kill her,” referring to Ashley.

“That makes two of us,” Caleb replied in the text exchange.

A tearful Botner told the court, “I just wish I didn’t say this.”

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In another message to his mistress, Caleb wrote, “I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail.”

While Caleb’s defense acknowledged the affair, defense attorney Emily Smith told jurors, “A man can fail as a husband without being a murderer.” She also argued that the prosecution lacks evidence, including the murder weapon.

Miami County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Watkins meanwhile told the jury, “The evidence will not show that Ashley was murdered by a stranger who vanished into the night. The evidence will show that Ashley was murdered by her husband, the father of her two young children.”

Jury deliberations are expected to begin today following closing arguments.