Former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn texted about murdering his wife before she died, prosecutors revealed in court.
Ohio prosecutors claim, in courtroom video posted to Court TV, that the 40-year-old suspect sent a message to his lover previewing the crime he was about to commit.
“I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail,” read one of the 100,000 messages he allegedly sent to his mistress in the year before Ashley Flynn, 37, was found shot dead in her bed in February.
Flynn told 911 operators that a burglar broke into the couple’s home and shot his wife.
Prosecutors said there’s no evidence indicating anyone suspicious entered the house before the victim suffered a pair of gunshot wounds to the back of her head while in a sleeping position.
In another message, Flynn, who appeared on “American Idol” in 2013, allegedly said he’d soon be “free” the night before his wife was killed.
His defense attorney told the court Flynn had a fling with another woman, but denied that he killed anyone.
“Caleb is not on trial for being a bad husband. He’s not on trial for cheating,” lawyer Emily Smith argued. “A man can fail as a husband without being a murderer.”
Flynn sang on the 12th season of “American Idol,” which was won by Candice Glover. He said on the show that his wife pushed him to try out for the program.
“I love my wife more than anything, she is very very pretty… oof, I love her,” he said.
Above all else, the self-described “music pastor” said he’s inspired by God to sing in front of a congregation every week.
“First and foremost is obviously the Lord,” he said.
Prosecutors said Flynn confessed in one of his text messages to his lover that “If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat.”