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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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Detroit, MI

Retired Detroit sergeant faces new sexual assault charge involving 14-year-old victim from 2002

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Retired Detroit sergeant faces new sexual assault charge involving 14-year-old victim from 2002



An additional case, this one involving a victim who was then 14 years old, has been added to the sexual assault investigation against a former Detroit Police Department sergeant. 

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the latest charges on Friday against Benjamin Martin Wagner, 68, who now lives in Greenville, N.C. He had retired from the Detroit Police Department in 2017. 

The victim in the additional charges was 14 years old when the assault happened in October 2002 in Detroit, Worthy said. The prosecutor alleges that Wagner approached the victim, pointed a handgun at her, ordered her away from the location and then sexually assaulted her. 

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In this case, he faces charges of kidnapping, two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. An arraignment hearing took place Friday in the 36th District Court in Detroit. A probable cause conference is scheduled for April 7.

The woman is now 37 years old. 

“She has lived with what happened to her for 23 years and has now bravely decided that she wants to be a part of holding him accountable,” Worthy said. 

Wagner participated in a court hearing Thursday and was remanded to jail, one week after he was charged with 15 counts of kidnapping and rape in five separate sexual assault cases. All of those incidents happened between 1999 and 2003 in the northwest side of Detroit, with the victims being young women between the ages of 15 and 23. 

The court dates for the earlier list of charges are April 7 for a probable cause hearing and April 14 for a preliminary exam. 

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Wagner joined the Detroit Police Department in 1989 as a police officer and was eventually promoted to sergeant. He retired in 2017 and moved to North Carolina. 



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Milwaukee, WI

Truck drives in to Grace Coffee in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward overnight

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Truck drives in to Grace Coffee in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward overnight


MILWAUKEE — A truck drove through the Grace Coffee Co. in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward on early Friday morning, the owners announced in a social media post.

Due to the extensive damage that was done, the coffee shop will be closed until further notice.

TMJ4

“We’re incredibly grateful no one was hurt, and we’ll keep you updated as we begin repairs,” the coffee shop said in the post.

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TMJ4 reached out to the Milwaukee Police Department but have yet to hear back.


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Minneapolis, MN

Man dead, 2 others hurt in overnight shooting in Minneapolis

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Man dead, 2 others hurt in overnight shooting in Minneapolis


Police say two people were hurt and one other man died.

A homicide investigation is underway in Minneapolis after a shooting early Friday morning killed one man and hurt two others.

Minneapolis police were called to the area of East Franklin Avenue and Chicago Avenue at around 12:30 a.m.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS cameras caught more than 65 evidence markers scattered across the ground in the area and shattered glass at a bus shelter. Some nearby businesses also appeared to have some damage.

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Minneapolis police are still working to determine what led up to the shooting and who was involved but investigators say first responders found the three men suffering from gunshot wounds.

One injured man is in his 40s, the other in his 50s, police say. Both were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

The third man died at the scene. His name and age haven’t yet been publicly released.

Police say early information suggests the men were on a sidewalk when at least one person opened fire, then fled in a vehicle.

So far, no arrests have been made.

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Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call police at 612-673-5845 to leave a voicemail or email policetips@minneapolismn.gov.

“This is a tragic and deeply disturbing act of violence that has taken a life, and left others seriously injured,” MPD Chief Brian O’Hara said. “This kind of violence is unacceptable, and we are committed to identifying those responsible and holding them accountable.”

Minneapolis police investigating alleyway shooting near East Franklin Avenue

It comes less than 30 hours after another serious shooting along East Franklin Avenue, just a half-mile west of Friday’s scene. That incident left a man hospitalized with a potentially life-threatening gunshot wound. No arrests have been announced in that case either.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is still working to learn more about this shooting. Stay with KSTP-TV for the latest updates on air and on the KSTP app.

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