Former Ohio music pastor and ‘American Idol’ contestant Caleb Flynn has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury found him guilty of murdering his wife while having an affair.
Flynn, 40, received the sentence on Monday after prosecutors accused him of staging a home invasion and falsely claiming a burglar shot Ashley Flynn, 37, as she slept. Ashley was a schoolteacher and volleyball coach.
Flynn cried as he addressed his family in court, including his two young daughters, who were at home when their mother was killed. He apologised to them but continued to maintain his innocence, saying he had not killed his wife.
Prosecutors said Flynn wanted to end his marriage and had told his lover, Alleigha Botner, “I choose you. I’m free. Actions will come tomorrow.” Botner testified that he had previously spoken about killing Ashley.
The murder weapon was never recovered, but prosecutors presented Flynn’s fingerprints and DNA from the scene, along with electronic data that contradicted his account.
Flynn briefly appeared on ‘American Idol’ in 2013 but did not advance to the Hollywood stage.
