American Idol Contestant Arrested, Charged With Murdering His Wife

Caleb Flynn, a singer who competed on Season 12 of "American Idol," has been arrested and charged with murdering his wife Ashley.

Flynn was arrested in his hometown of Tipp City, Ohio on Thursday night and was arraigned this morning, pleading not guilty to murder and two charges each of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence, Deadline reports. He'll appear in court again next week for a preliminary hearing.

Flynn called 911 late Monday night to report that his wife Ashley had been shot and was bleeding and unresponsive. Flynn claimed a home intruder could have shot her, but local law enforcement later theorized that the crime scene had been "staged." The Flynns have two young daughters, who were home asleep at the time of the shooting.

"The family and community deserve a thorough, professional and compassionate investigation into this very sensitive matter," Tipp City police chief Greg Adkins said in a statement. "As a result of the investigation, probable cause existed to charge Caleb Flynn with the murder of his wife."

Flynn was a contestant on Season 12 of "American Idol," which aired on Fox in 2013. His initial audition didn't make it to air, but he did earn a golden ticket to the Hollywood rounds. He was eliminated during Hollywood Week, however.  

Fox posted a "Road to Hollywood" interview with Flynn during Season 12, where he explains that he's a music pastor who performs in church each week. He also gushes about his wife Ashley — "I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty" — and shares his fondness for "Idol" winner Carrie Underwood: "If my wife dyed her hair blonde, she would look just like her."