Caleb Flynn, a former church music pastor and American Idol contestant, was charged with murder Friday after police accused him of shooting his wife Ashley twice in the head, then calling 911 to report a home invasion while their two young daughters slept down the hall.

Mr. Flynn, 39, appeared via video from the Miami County Jail for his arraignment Friday morning and pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence, according to Miami County Municipal Court records. Fox News Digital reported that the felonious assault counts involve a deadly weapon. Judge Samuel Huffman set bond at $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26.

Mrs. Flynn, 37, a LifeWise Academy teacher and seventh-grade volleyball coach, was found shot to death in the master bedroom of the couple’s home in the 900 block of Cunningham Court after crews were called around 2:30 a.m. Monday, the according to the Dayton Daily News. Two shell casings were found near the foot of the bed. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple’s two daughters and two Goldendoodles were in the home but were unharmed.

Mr. Flynn called 911 and told a dispatcher that someone had broken into the house and shot his wife, according to 911 released by multiple news outlets.

“Oh my god, somebody broke into my home, somebody broke into my home and shot my wife,” Mr. Flynn said in the call. “My wife, she’s got two shots to her head, there’s blood everywhere.”

When a dispatcher asked whether Ms. Flynn was breathing, Mr. Flynn replied, “No, I don’t think so.”

But the criminal complaint filed Friday morning told a different story. The complaint alleged Mr. Flynn shot Ms. Flynn with a 9 mm handgun and staged the scene, causing officers to be led astray “by the staging of the crime scene,” the complaint said. Detective Sgt. Morgan’s affidavit stated: “Caleb Flynn murdered his wife … in the morning hours of February 16, 2026.”

When police arrived, the side door to the garage on the north side of the house was open, according to documents shared on X by WLWT reporter Karin Johnson. The affidavit noted that a large refrigerator was positioned in front of that door “that would’ve had to be pushed to open the door.” Inside the garage, the center console of a 2024 Ford pickup truck was open — the spot, Mr. Flynn told police, where he kept his handgun. The court record said the couple’s two children had not woken up and were still in their bedroom throughout the incident.

Once Ms. Flynn’s mother arrived to take the girls, Mr. Flynn agreed to speak voluntarily with detectives and was taken to the Tipp City Police Station around 4:30 a.m. Monday, according to the Dayton Daily News.

He was booked into the Miami County Jail at 5:07 p.m. Thursday, according to inmate records.

At the arraignment Friday, Mr. Flynn gave a brief plea to Judge Huffman for a reduced bond. “I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk.”

His attorney, L. Patrick Mulligan of the Dayton firm Moermond & Mulligan, pushed back on both the speed of the arrest and the size of the bond.

“Caleb Flynn entered a plea of Not Guilty this morning and looks forward to defending this case,” Mr. Mulligan told Fox News Digital. “We are both disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case. When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases.”

In separate remarks to the Dayton Daily News, Mr. Mulligan said: “It’s disturbing the speed at which this occurred,” adding that he questions “the thoroughness” of the investigation.

Mr. Mulligan also called the $2 million bond “unnecessarily high,” telling the Dayton Daily News it “denies him the opportunity to be at the funeral for his wife, which is an unspeakable tragedy.”

Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins, who called the case “complex,” said Wednesday that investigators believed the shooting was not a random act and that the public was not at risk.

In a statement released Thursday evening, Chief Adkins said probable cause existed to charge Mr. Flynn with his wife’s murder and that the family and community “deserve a thorough, professional and compassionate investigation into this very sensitive matter.”

The investigation drew help from the FBI, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office.

Ashley Flynn was a graduate of Tipp City High School, known formally as Tippecanoe High School, and Lee University, a private Christian institution in Cleveland, Tenn., according to her obituary. She was a teacher at LifeWise Academy, a nonprofit offering weekly Bible-based lessons to public school students, and also served as a substitute teacher and seventh-grade volleyball coach at Tippecanoe Middle School.

Tipp City Schools remembered her as someone “known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so many — both in and out of the classroom and on the court,” the Dayton Daily News reported.

The couple and their daughters attended Christian Life Center in Dayton, where Mr. Flynn had served as a music pastor and worship leader, WLWT reported. The church’s lead pastor, the Rev. Jordan Hansen, posted a statement Friday on the church’s Facebook page.

“Hearts remain heavy as we continue to grieve the tragic loss of Ashley Flynn. Ashley was a devoted wife, loving mother and faithful member of Christian Life Center. Her life deeply impacted thousands. We want justice for Ashley,” Mr. Hansen wrote, according to the Dayton Daily News. “This week, we received news that Caleb Flynn has been arrested and charged in connection with her death. This brings understandable shock and sorrow.”

“Two young daughters have lost their mother. A family is devastated. Now is the time to pray, to guard against gossip/speculation. Let us be a church marked by prayer, wisdom, restraint and love,” he added.

Mr. Flynn is also a Lee University graduate originally from Braham, Minn. He competed on the 12th season of “American Idol” in 2013 and was described in an audition clip as a music pastor “born to sing.” During that appearance, he spoke of his wife: “I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty. I love her.” According to his LinkedIn profile, he had been working as vice president of sales at Richard D. Smith & Sons Inc., a family-run commercial flooring and worship seating supplier.

Christian Life Center announced a public celebration of life for Ms. Flynn at 4 p.m. Sunday. The family has asked that donations be made to LifeWise Academy of Tipp City in lieu of flowers.