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

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.

“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.”

“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.”

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.”

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.

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

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.

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

“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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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.

It’s right back to action for the Detroit Red Wings after the Olympics, as Todd McLellan’s squad has a playoff drought to end.

The 2026 Milano Winter Olympics are in the books, which means the NHL schedule can finally return to action.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a dream Olympic break, helping lead Team USA to a gold medal and was even on the ice when Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal vs. Canada on Sunday, Feb. 22.

But Larkin and the rest of the Olympians won’t have much time off, as there are eight games on the schedule for Wednesday, Feb. 25.

The Red Wings, who had three players (Larkin, Lucas Raymond for Sweden and Moritz Seider for Germany) playing in the Olympics, will return to the ice on Thursday, when they face the Ottawa Senators on the road at 7 p.m.

It has been a long break for the Wings, who last played Feb. 4 against the Utah Mammoth, a 4-1 loss on the road, but the first 58 games of the season have been undeniably a success.

Here’s where the Red Wings stand with the Olympic break completed and 24 games to play:

ONE OF THE STARS: Dylan Larkin plays big role as USA ‘exorcises the demons’ vs. Canada

How Red Wings players fared in Olympics

Before we look ahead, let’s look back at how the three Wings did in the Olympic games in Milan.

It’s no secret that Larkin had the memorable Olympics, winning the gold medal and scoring two goals and adding an assist in his six games, but he wasn’t even close to the most productive.

That honor goes to Sweden forward Lucas Raymond, who had nine points in just five games, which included just one goal and eight assists. His final assist came in his final game, an overtime loss in the quarterfinals to the United States. He finished third in the tournament in points, behind only Canadian stars Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid.

Defenseman Moritz Seider and his Germany squad ended the tournament on a rough note, a 6-2 loss to Slovakia in the quarterfinals, but Seider helped the team advance out of the group stage and had two assists in the tournament.

After a strong start to the season, the Red Wings have 72 points in 58 games and are tied for second place in the Atlantic Division and tied for third in the Eastern Conference.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes both have 78 points to lead their respective divisions, and the Montreal Canadiens also have 72 points, the same as the Wings, but have a game in hand.

Detroit Red Wings playoff odds

Can the Wings finally make the playoffs for the first time under general manager Steve Yzerman and snap a nine-year playoff drought?

If you ask the predictive models, the answer is yes.

MoneyPuck.com gives the Red Wings a 77.8% chance of making the playoffs, which is the fifth highest in the Eastern Conference.

MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee County jury has found 33-year-old Kwon Burdine guilty in a November 2024 Friendsgiving double shooting that left one man dead and another seriously injured.

What we know:

Prosecutors said Burdine killed 25-year-old Nasif Bowie during a gathering at a home near Congress and Houston. He was also convicted of trying to kill Bowie’s 23-year-old friend.

Loved ones of Bowie were emotional in court Friday as the guilty verdict was read.

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“I’m so thankful, it’s been a year and maybe three months now we’re just getting justice for my son,” said Ms. Bowie, Nasif’s mother. “Some families don’t get this. Some families are still looking for the killer.”

According to court records, witnesses said Burdine arrived at the November 2024 party drinking. At some point, he claimed money was missing and would not let anyone leave until it was found.

Investigators said the situation turned violent when Burdine began hitting Bowie’s friend and then pulled out a gun.

Prosecutors played a portion of a 911 call during the trial. Witnesses testified Burdine shot Bowie and the 23-year-old victim, left the home, then returned and fired again.

Bowie died from his injuries. His friend survived, but was seriously hurt.

Dig deeper:

Authorities said Burdine fled the scene and was later found in Green Bay days later, along with the gun.

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Family members said Bowie had dreams of going into real estate and living a long life.

“I can’t bring my son back; we’ll have a little more peace,” Ms. Bowie said. “But he’s going to get his justice, finally.”

Burdine is scheduled to be sentenced in May. Bowie’s family said they hope he receives the maximum sentence.