Former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn is accused of killing his wife, Ashley Flynn, a well-known Tipp City volleyball coach and substitute teacher, and making it look like a burglary.
Caleb Flynn charged with wife’s murder
Caleb Flynn, 39, was arrested Thursday night. He was charged in Miami County Municipal Court with one count of murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence. He was arraigned Friday morning in the Miami County Jail, where bail was set at $2 million.
At about 2:30 a.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a burglary at the couple’s home in the 900 block of Cunningham Court, where 37-year-old Ashley Flynn was found shot to death. Police initially said there were signs of forced entry.
Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins said Ashley Flynn was shot twice and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lawyers questioned the “thoroughness” of the investigation.
According to the Dayton Daily News, Flynn is represented by L. Patrick Mulligan of the Dayton law firm Moermond and Mulligan.
“The speed at which this happened is disturbing,” Mulligan said. “I question the thoroughness of the investigation.”
The Tippe City Police Department called the case a “complex case” and said throughout the week that it would conduct an “as thorough investigation as possible.” The department led the investigation with help from the FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Miami County Sheriff’s Office and Miami County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mulligan also called the $2 million bond too high and said he planned to ask for a reduction.
“This deprived him of the opportunity to attend his wife’s funeral, which is an unspeakable tragedy,” Mulligan said.
what happened that night
Police received reports of a burglary at the Flynns’ Cunningham Court home in Tipp City around 2:30 a.m. on Monday. Caleb Flynn called 911 and told dispatchers his wife had been shot and was unresponsive, according to court documents cited by Yahoo News. He also said he wasn’t sure if the intruder was still inside the home.
When officers arrived, they found the side door of the garage open. In the master bedroom, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn was found lying on the bed with a gunshot wound to the head. She was shot twice and pronounced dead at the scene. There were two shell casings on the floor near the foot of the bed.
Investigators also noted details inside the garage. Caleb Flynn told police he stored the handgun in the center console of a 2024 Ford pickup truck, which was found open. A large refrigerator was placed in front of the side garage door and “had to be pushed to open the door,” court records state. The criminal complaint further alleges that officers were led astray “due to the staging of the crime scene.”
