Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement as he awaits trial for allegedly murdering his wife.
According to TMZ, a source described as a veteran corrections officer at the jail where Flynn is being held claimed that he was being held in isolation in a cell.
The move was described as being for the 39-year-old’s safety.
The update comes after the Daily Mail obtained body-worn camera footage from police that showed Flynn crying uncontrollably and throwing up as police responded to the murder of his wife Ashley, 37, who was fatally shot in the home they shared.
Flynn he could be heard hyperventilating in a 911 call as he claimed he found his wife dead in their Ohio home in the early hours of February 16.
According to TMZ, the source said other inmates at the jail had inquired about Flynn to correctional officers, but the employees have prevented contact between him and other inmates over safety fears.
Former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn, 39, has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement as he awaits trial for allegedly murdering his wife. A veteran correctional officer said he was being held in an isolation cell for his protection, according to TMZ
The update comes after the Daily Mail obtained bodycam footage showing Flynn crying uncontrollably and throwing up as police responded to the murder of his wife Ashley, 37, who was fatally shot in the home they shared
However, the corrections officer noted that Flynn’s alleged solitary confinement isn’t completely stimulation-free.
The former American Idol contestant is said to have a tablet in his cell, on which he can make phone calls and read any mail he has received that has been digitally scanned at a facility that processes inmate mail.
The source said Flynn can even watch movies on the tablet, though they noted that films with nudity are forbidden.
TMZ reported the correction officer’s claims that Flynn gets multiple breaks from his solitary confinement throughout the day.
He can allegedly leave to take a shower once a day, with a second shower being an option if deemed necessary, and he is let out for a total of five hours of recreational activities per week.
The source said correctional officers take Flynn to an outdoor area located within the jail’s grounds for some sun and fresh air, though his primary form of exercise seems to be walking around in a circle.
There’s little danger of letting Flynn out for a few hours per week, as the source added that jail employees are keeping an eye on him throughout the day with checks every 30 minutes to assess his well-being, and he constantly has cameras trained on him.
Flynn is allegedly being served three meals per day, though he eats every one of them alone in his cell.
Flynn allegedly has a tablet that he can make calls with and watch movies and read mail on. He’s allowed out for a shower per day and five hours of recreation outdoors per week
Flynn’s wife Ashley, 37, was fatally shot in the home she shared with her husband as he could be heard hyperventilating in a 911 call as he claimed he found his wife dead in their Ohio home in the early hours of February 16. He has since been charged with her murder
Flynn seen on American Idol in 2013, where he spoke proudly of his wife and boasted of his devotion to his Christian faith, saying: ‘I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty. … I love her’
He is also allowed video visitation sessions with family members, though the source noted that Flynn isn’t allowed to have conjugal visits.
The update on Flynn’s time in jail comes just a day after the Tipp City Police Department in Ohio released bodycam footage showing him on the night he reported his wife’s death.
Flynn’s wife Ashley, 37, was fatally shot in the home she shared with her husband, who could be heard hyperventilating in a 911 call as he claimed he found his wife dead in their Ohio home in the early hours of February 16.
But within three days, Flynn was arrested in connection with his wife’s killing. He has since been charged with her murder. The married couple shared two daughters together.
Now, bodycam footage from the scene has been released as Flynn could be heard loudly wailing, hyperventilating, and even throwing up.
Much of the clips released are blurred out from the inside of the home, but Flynn could be heard calling his mother to inform her that his wife was dead.
Flynn could be heard frantically saying: ‘Ashley’s dead. Mommy, she’s gone. I don’t know what to do.’
He began crying and hyperventilating before hanging up the phone and proceeds to vomit.
The former reality star, who appeared on the program in 2013, could be seen in the immediate aftermath of his wife’s death in footage released on Monday by the Tipp City Police in Ohio
Later in the video, law enforcement tells the reality competition show contestant that his mother had arrived at the scene
As soon as he walked out of the door, Flynn stumbled and fell on the ground, leading to one of the police officers to help him up
Later in the video, law enforcement tells the reality competition show contestant that his mother had arrived at the scene.
As soon as he walked out of the door, Flynn stumbled and fell on the ground leading to one of the police officers to help him up before he embraces his mother.
His mother says that she is in shock and begins crying as Flynn tells her: ‘The girl’s don’t know.’
There was also footage released of Flynn at the police station after his arrest.
This comes over a week after Flynn could be heard desperately pleading with 911 to claim ‘somebody broke into’ his home when she was killed.
The former reality show contestant who became a music pastor and worship leader, could be heard in the audio telling a dispatcher an intruder killed his wife.
‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,’ he said in a panic. ‘Somebody broke into my home and shot my wife.’
The dispatcher asked if the intruder was still inside the home, to which Flynn responded: ‘I don’t know, I don’t know… please hurry, please please hurry.’
He embraced his mother at one point
His mother says that she is in shock and begins crying as Flynn tells her: ‘The girl’s don’t know’
There was also footage released of Flynn at the police station after his arrest
Asked what he can see, Flynn said: ‘My wife, she’s got two shots to her head. There is blood everywhere… oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.’
After Flynn wept over the phone as he claimed his wife was killed in a break-in, prosecutors allege that he shot his wife in the head before staging the scene in an effort to mislead investigators.
He has been charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence.
Authorities arrived at the couple’s home in Tipp City, around 20 miles outside of Dayton, Ohio, at 2:30am on February 16, and pronounced Ashley dead at the scene.
Court documents allege that Flynn used a 9mm handgun to shoot his wife in the head, while their two children were sleeping in rooms nearby.
According to dispatch logs, officers responded to reports of a possible burglary and found the garage door was open, suggesting a potential intruder could still be inside.
Prosecutors said police at the scene established that only Ashley, Flynn and their two daughters were inside the home, along with their two dogs.
When officers arrived, Ashley was found in bed in the master bedroom with gunshot wounds to the head.
Ashley (far right), pictured with her two daughters and Flynn, was found with gunshot wounds to her head in their Ohio home while their children slept in the home
Two shell casings were discovered near the foot of the bed, the affidavit states.
Inside the garage, investigators found the center console of a 2024 Ford pickup truck open – where Flynn told police he kept his handgun.
Police also noted that a large refrigerator had been positioned in front of the garage’s side door and would have had to be pushed aside to open it.
In his time on the American Idol contest, Flynn spoke proudly of his wife and boasted of his devotion to his Christian faith.
‘I absolutely love the Lord. I love my wife more than anything. She is very, very pretty. … I love her,’ he said at the time.
Flynn had also served as a music pastor and worship leader at Christian Life Center in Butler Township.
Ashley was a beloved teacher who was a graduate of Tippecanoe High School and Lee University and coached girls volleyball at Tippecanoe Middle School.
She also worked as a substitute teacher for Tipp City Schools and taught at LifeWise Academy, a nonprofit providing Bible-based lessons to public school students.
Ashley was described as a beloved teacher who ‘was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness and the positive impact she had on so many’
Flynn has been charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence and he was jailed on a $2 million bond
Ashley’s school district remembered her as a dedicated educator who left a lasting mark on her students, saying she ‘was 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.’
A GoFundMe established after Ashley Flynn’s death raised more than $100,000 in its first day, which said the proceeds would go to her daughters ‘during this unimaginable time.’
The fundraiser read: ‘Ashley lived her life as the hands and feet of Jesus. Her laughter was contagious, she was the biggest encourager, and she loved people deeply.’
Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins denied reports circulating online that a suspect had confessed.
‘The Flynn family is coping with an unimaginable loss, and the department will not try this case in the media,’ said Adkins on Thursday. ‘This matter will be resolved through the judicial process and adjudicated in a court of law.
The FBI, Miami County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have been assisting Tipp City Police with the ‘complex’ probe.
Flynn’s bond was set at $2 million during his arraignment Friday morning, and he is due back in court next Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
Jail records show he was booked into the Miami County Jail at 5:07 p.m. on Thursday.
