Authorities in Ohio have arrested a former contestant on “American Idol” and charged him with shooting and killing his wife and staging the crime scene to mislead investigators.

Caleb Flynn, 39, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of murder, assault and tampering with evidence.

“I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk,” he told Judge Samuel Huffman in a video of his arraignment from jail.

The judge set his bond at $2 million.

Ashley Flynn, 37, was found dead Monday after officers received a report of a burglary and shooting at a Tipp City home, according to a news release by Tipp City Police. Her husband and two children were inside the home when officers arrived.

In a 911 call released by authorities, a frantic Caleb Flynn tells a dispatcher someone broke into his home and killed his wife. He says she was shot multiple times in the head and he doesn’t know whether the intruder was still there.

“There’s blood everywhere, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” he says.

His attorney, Patrick Mulligan, said in a statement on Saturday he and Flynn were “disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case.” Police arrested Flynn on Thursday.

“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,” the statement said.

Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins defended the investigation, saying in an email on Saturday that it had “not moved fast.”

“Rather, it has progressed at a pace dictated by a thorough and deliberate investigative process,” he said.

Ashley Flynn was a middle school volleyball coach and substitute teacher, Tipp City Schools said on its Facebook page.

“She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so many-both in and out of the classroom and on the court,” the post said.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

• What: Michigan State vs. Ohio State

• When: 1 p.m. Sunday

• Where: Breslin Center

• TV/Radio: CBS/Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM; SiriusXM Ch. 83 (MSU broadcast), 380 (Ohio State broadcast)

• Records/Rankings: MSU is 21-5 overall and 11-4 in the Big Ten, and ranked No. 15 by both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches poll. The Spartans are No. 12 in the NET rankings and No. 10 per the college basketball analytics site Kenpom.com. Ohio State is 17-9 overall, 9-6 in the Big Ten, and unranked by both major polls, while being No. 38 in the NET rankings and No. 36 by Kenpom.

• Betting line: MSU -10.5

• Coaches: Michigan State — Tom Izzo is 758-307 in his 31st season as a head coach, all with the Spartans. Ohio State — Jake Diebler is 42-27 in his third season as a head coach (second full season) and with the Buckeyes.

A Republican mayor in Ohio is facing criminal allegations after authorities say he was recorded on a concealed camera smelling an underage girl’s underwear.

An incident report from the Richland county sheriff’s Office details the accusations against Wesley Dingus, 48, who serves as mayor of Butler. The claims came from a juvenile who had been staying at his residence.

According to investigators, the teen had hidden a small camera in a bedroom in the home. On 13 January, she reportedly received multiple motion alerts indicating recordings had been captured. Deputies say the footage showed Dingus smelling at least four pairs of her underwear “for several seconds” and also “touching his groin area over his clothes”.

Richland county children’s services passed the report along to law enforcement the same day the alleged incident occurred, and a deputy later interviewed the girl at her school.

A deputy later contacted Dingus and arranged a meeting, but the conversation did not happen after his attorney advised canceling it, local news outlet WKYC reported. Authorities arrested Dingus nearly a month later, an action that took place on 13 February.

Dingus appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty. He was released after posting 10% of a $10,000 bond. Judge Michael Kemerer required him to wear a GPS monitor and barred him from contacting the accuser.

Deputies forwarded the case to a local prosecutor’s office on 26 January. After consulting with a member of that office, deputies prepared two court summonses charging Dingus with voyeurism, according to Cleveland19. Those summonses were then delivered to Dingus.

Dingus, who is a registered Republican according to public voter records, became mayor of Butler in 2022. Then mayor Joseph Stallard resigned, and Dingus was elevated to the vacant post from his role as council president.

Dingus was soon after elected to a full term after receiving 199 votes from the village’s fewer than 1,000 residents.

In August, Dingus was indicted on four counts related to an incident in which he allegedly struck a fleeing criminal suspect with his car, the Richland Source reported. Officials say that on 11 July, he saw a man attempting to escape from police and struck the man with his vehicle to prevent him from getting away. Dingus entered a plea of not guilty in that case, and the injured man was expected to recover.