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Former “American Idol” star and church pastor Caleb Flynn claimed to cops that he “didn’t touch” his wife, whom he’s accused of fatally shooting, according to a recording of his police interview played for jurors Monday before testimony wrapped.
“I’m telling you, I didn’t touch my wife,” Flynn, 40, said as detectives pressed him on whether he gunned down 37-year-old Ashley Flynn inside their Ohio home in February.
“The evidence is a little contrary to that,” one of the investigators responded, according to a report by the Dayton Daily News.
The tape was played before testimony concluded in the case, in which Flynn’s side opted not to call any witnesses. Closing arguments are slated for Tuesday.
The dad of two — who appeared on the competitive singing show in 2013 — is charged with shooting Ashley in the head while she was in bed and as their two daughters, now 10 and 12, slept close by in their rooms.
He then allegedly staged the crime scene at their Tipp City, Ohio house to make it appear like a home invasion.
Prosecutors claimed Flynn’s nearly two-year-long affair with Alleigha Botner, 24, was the motivation behind the killing.
Botner — a fellow worship leader at his church — was one of the 40 witnesses prosecutors called to testify. She was forced to read her own text messages with Flynn saying she wanted to kill his wife.
“It says, ‘I want to kill her, Caleb,’” the ex-mistress said through tears as she read the text exchange to the jury.
“He said, ‘That makes two of us,” Botner said.
“I just wish I didn’t say this,” Botner testified through tears.
Flynn told cops an intruder killed his wife while he was asleep in one of their daughters’ bedrooms. However, investigators testified they never found a shred of evidence to support that claim after a police dog failed to find any scent of an intruder and after cops canvassing the neighborhood failed to turn up any information about the invasion.
His lawyers claimed the prosecution’s case was weak, including the fact that they never recovered the murder weapon. They said the case rested solely on the fact that he had an affair — which wasn’t enough to prove he killed his wife.
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder, tampering with evidence and other related crimes. If convicted on the top charge, he faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
