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Ex-American Idol contestant charged in wife’s murder previously described as ‘very talented’ church leader

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Ex-American Idol contestant charged in wife’s murder previously described as ‘very talented’ church leader

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An Ohio man was described as a “very talented” church leader before being accused of the brutal killing of his wife, according to online records.

Thirty-nine-year-old Caleb Flynn was charged with murder Friday in the death of his wife, Ashley Flynn. Ashley, a mother, teacher and volleyball coach, was shot and killed in her Tipp City, Ohio, home early Monday morning. 

Caleb Flynn initially called 911 and told a dispatcher someone broke into his house and killed his wife, according to audio obtained by Fox News Digital.

CHRISTIAN MOTHER, TEACHER’S AUTOPSY CONDUCTED AS POLICE PROBE HOMICIDE IN OHIO HOME INVASION

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Caleb Flynn was charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence. He was booked into the Miami County Jail at 5:07 p.m. on Thursday, according to inmate records. 

He was arraigned on Friday morning and pleaded not guilty. His bond was set at $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.

According to court documents, Caleb Flynn allegedly shot and killed his wife with a 9 mm handgun and staged a crime scene, which “led estray” officers.

A Tipp City mother of two was found dead after a reported home invasion. Police used drones and K-9 units to search for a suspect as the community mourns the tragic loss. (Ashley Flynn/Facebook)

“Oh my God, somebody broke into my home. Somebody broke into my home and shot my wife,” Caleb Flynn said when calling 911. “My wife, she’s got two shots to her head. There’s blood everywhere. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.”

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“Ashley, Ashley, baby, baby please, oh my god, there’s no — she’s not!” Caleb said.

Caleb Flynn then claimed the door “leading to the garage door” was “wide open” at the time.

In a statement to Fox News, the family of Ashley Flynn said, “Our hearts are shattered.”

“Ashley brought endless light to our world, and we are trying to navigate this immense loss. Our family believes this arrest was made carefully and not without serious consideration. After speaking with both local police and federal authorities, we trust the proper steps were taken, and the process is being handled appropriately,” her family said.

“We kindly ask for privacy as we work through this complex situation. We are clinging to our faith — just as Ashley did each and every day.”

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Who is Caleb Flynn?

In 2013, Caleb Flynn was a contestant on “American Idol,” and he discussed his love for his wife during an interview to be on the show.

“I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty. … I love her,” Caleb Flynn said. “But, you know, I’m just a normal person who absolutely loves to sing more than anything in the world.”

Caleb Flynn in a 2013 “American Idol” Hometown Interview. Caleb is the husband of Ashley Flynn, who was shot and killed in her Ohio home Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (YouTube/American Idol)

According to Caleb Flynn’s LinkedIn, he was a worship director at Free Chapel Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina, from July 2015 to February 2021.

For about a year in 2021, Caleb Flynn worked at Equis Financial before becoming the vice president of Sales at Richard D. Smith & Sons, which is a family-owned commercial interior supplier.

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CHRISTIAN MOTHER, TEACHER FOUND DEAD AS POLICE HUNT HOMICIDE SUSPECT IN OHIO HOME INVASION

Caleb Flynn’s booking photo from Miami County Jail in Dayton, Ohio, on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (Miami County Jail)

One person who worked with Caleb Flynn submitted a recommendation on LinkedIn, saying the 39-year-old is a “very talented and passionate worship leader! A bright future awaits this young man.”

Beyond speeding tickets and traffic infractions, Caleb Flynn doesn’t have a criminal history.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Caleb Flynn’s attorney, L. Patrick Mulligan, said prosecutors rushed to accuse his client of murder.

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FBI JOINS PROBE IN MURDER OF CHRISTIAN TEACHER SHOT IN OHIO HOME AS ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ HUSBAND, CHILDREN SLEPT

Ashley Flynn, a Tipp City Schools substitute teacher and volleyball coach, was found dead in her Ohio home during the reported burglary. Police launched a homicide investigation into her death. (Tipp City Schools)

“Caleb Flynn entered a plea of not guilty this morning and looks forward to defending this case. We are both disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case,” Mulligan said. 

“When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases.”

According to News Center 7, only Ashley and Caleb Flynn and their two children were inside the home during the incident.

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Ashley and Caleb Flynn in an undated photo with their two children. (GoFundMe)

In an earlier statement to Fox News Digital, Tipp City Chief Greg Adkins said he believed the incident was isolated.

“We believe that this was an isolated incident targeting this specific residence,” Adkins told Fox News Digital Wednesday. “No information at this time to believe the public is in any danger. The investigation will continue until we can provide all the answers to the family and community.”

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

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Midwest

WATCH: Walz, Ellison, Omar refuse to answer when pressed on fraud after contentious fraud hearing

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WATCH: Walz, Ellison, Omar refuse to answer when pressed on fraud after contentious fraud hearing

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Following the highly anticipated House Oversight Committee hearing on fraud Wednesday, Fox News Digital pressed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison about their roles in the scandal but received no response from the embattled officials.

“Why wasn’t the fraud caught sooner, governor?” Walz was asked after the hearing. “Almost $10 billion — why wasn’t it caught sooner?”

Walz declined to answer as he was escorted down a hallway by staff but stopped briefly to speak with another individual. During a second encounter, Walz again declined to answer the question but acknowledged a security guard as he walked down the hallway.

“Mr. Attorney General, can you tell us why the fraud wasn’t caught sooner?” Ellison was asked after his testimony.

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TAFOYA RIPS WALZ ‘DODGING’ ACCOUNTABILITY IN HEARING, UNVEILS PLAN TO FIGHT FRAUD: ‘FULL WEIGHT OF THE LAW’

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, AG Keith Ellison and Rep. Ilhan Omar avoided questions from Fox News Digital on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images )

Ellison did not respond and continued walking up a staircase.

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, who did not testify Wednesday but has faced criticism for her ties to the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal in the state, did not respond after the hearing when Fox News Digital began asking her questions.

Walz and Ellison faced a barrage of tough questions from Republicans during the hearing on the massive fraud scandal in the state, with most focused on one key theme: What did they know, and when did they know it?

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Walz and Ellison were asked multiple times for specifics about when they were first made aware of the fraud and faced sharp rebukes from Republican members, including Rep. Virginia Foxx.

WALZ MOCKED ONLINE AFTER GOP LAWMAKER FLOATS THEORY IN HEATED HEARING ABOUT WHY KAMALA HARRIS CHOSE HIM AS VP

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz testifies during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the U.S. Capitol Building on March 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“You did not do your job, you did not do your job,” Foxx told Walz. “You did not protect taxpayer dollars. You allowed massive fraud. You and Mr. Ellison allowed massive fraud to go on in the state of Minnesota. It is unfortunate, as somebody said, that you can’t be held personally responsible at this stage in the game.”

An exchange between GOP Rep. Jim Jordan and Walz sparked immediate pushback from conservatives on social media. 

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One of the most contentious exchanges came during questioning from GOP Rep. Nancy Mace when she pressed Walz for specific numbers on how many children are in his state, the massive increase in autism care spending and why that occurred, without getting specific figures from Walz.

“OK, so your excuse before — that you didn’t know what the 2017 autism numbers were — because you were not governor, and today you can’t answer the numbers about 2024 as governor, and you still said you prepared for this hearing today. It’s unbelievable.”

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Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to reporters after announcing he would not seek reelection at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., January 5, 2026. (Reuters/Tim Evans)

GOP Rep. Clay Higgins confronted Ellison in another heated moment, asking him to say he was “leading” the fight to root out corruption. Without receiving the specific answer he was looking for, Higgins called for Ellison’s resignation.

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“I’m not talking about Medicaid fraud, don’t hide behind that,” Higgins said, interrupting Ellison. “You have the authority to prosecute anything criminally that the governor asks you to, and this thing is big. I’m giving you an opportunity, sir, are you leading the criminal investigative effort into this massive fraud across the board…or not?” Higgins pressed.

“You are not leading. I’m going to say, Mr. Chairman, that the attorney general of the state of Minnesota should resign,” Higgins said.

At the close of the hearing, things became tense again when GOP Rep. Nick Langworthy suggested that Walz, who is still serving as governor despite dropping out of his reelection bid due to the fraud scandal, should be impeached for “malfeasance,” citing Minnesota’s Constitution.

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Detroit, MI

4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means

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4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means


A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.

A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.

Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit

What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?

We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.

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Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?

Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.

Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.

The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.

Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.

A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (WDIV)

Flood safety tips

Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.

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Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.

Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road. (WDIV)

Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.

Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.



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Milwaukee, WI

Forest Home Avenue construction to resume in Milwaukee County

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Forest Home Avenue construction to resume in Milwaukee County


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Construction on a stretch of Forest Home Avenue in Milwaukee County is set to resume as part of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation resurfacing project, according to WisDOT.

The project affects Highway 24 — also known as Forest Home Avenue — between Janesville Road in Hales Corners and 45th Street in Milwaukee. The project started in early 2025 and is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

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Here’s what to know about the latest construction update.

When will Forest Home Avenue construction resume?

Preparation work for construction along Forest Home Avenue is expected to begin the week of March 16, according to WisDOT.

Active construction work is scheduled to begin the week of March 23, weather permitting.

Where will construction be?

Construction work will take place in two segments along the corridor. The segment between 45th Street and Howard Avenue is already largely complete and will include minor lighting work and restoration.

The segment between Howard Avenue and Janesville Road will include resurfacing, permanent pavement markings, guardrail installation and improvements at several intersections.

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What work will be done during construction?

The Highway 24 project will improve about 5 miles of roadway. The work includes resurfacing pavement, replacing traffic signals and lighting at numerous locations, making improvements to the bridge at 76th Street and upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps.

Traffic impacts during Forest Home Avenue construction in Milwaukee County

During construction, Highway 24 will be reduced to one lane in each direction in active work zones. Drivers may also encounter parking lane restrictions, overnight or short-term closures at ramps and intersections, and temporary pedestrian detours.

Access to businesses and residences along the corridor will be maintained during construction.

When will the project be completed?

The project is currently scheduled to be completed in early summer, though WisDOT says the timeline may change depending on weather conditions.

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Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.



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