“Sir, I just want to take care of my daughters,” the father of two told the judge while fighting back tears

American Idol Alum Caleb Flynn Holds Back Tears as He Makes Court Appearance After He Is Accused of Killing His Wife

Caleb Flynn’s court appearance on Feb. 20, 2026; Ashley and Caleb Flynn.Credit : WLWT/Youtube;Caleb Flynn

Caleb Flynn held back tears as he reassured a judge that he’s “not a risk” after being accused of murdering his wife.

On Friday, Feb. 20, the American Idol alum, 39, made his first court appearance at the Miami County Municipal Court, four days after he allegedly murdered his 37-year-old wife, Ashley Flynn, in their Ohio home.

In a video of the appearance obtained by local news outlet WLWT, a lawyer representing Caleb can be heard emphasizing his not guilty plea, after which the father of two told the judge while fighting back tears, “Sir, I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk.”

Ashley was pronounced dead on Feb. 16 after police responded to a call made by Caleb claiming that there was a burglary at their residence in Tipp City.

“Somebody broke into my home and killed my wife,” the caller cries in the nearly eight-minute call obtained by PEOPLE. “Please, please hurry.”

“She’s got three shots to her and blood everywhere,” the caller continues, later adding that she was shot in the head. “Ashley, baby, baby please. Oh my God!”

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.          

American Idol Alum Caleb Flynn Holds Back Tears as He Makes Court Appearance After He Is Accused of Killing His Wife

Caleb and Ashley Flynn with their daughters.Ashley Flynn/Facebook

The caller also told the dispatcher that he was with his children when the shooting happened and was calling 911 from their bedroom where Ashley’s body was found.

Three days later, Caleb, who was an American Idol contestant in 2013, was taken into custody and charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence, according to online court records reviewed by PEOPLE. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held on a $2 million bond.

Ahead of Caleb’s recent court appearance, his attorney, L. Patrick Mulligan, expressed that his client “looks forward to defending this case.”

“We are both disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case,” he said in a statement to PEOPLE. “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.”

Following Ashley’s death, her family remembered her for bringing “endless light into our world” and expressed their belief that Caleb’s arrest was “made carefully and not without serious consideration.”

Ashley Flynn Caleb Flynn

Ashley and Caleb Flynn.Ashley Flynn/Facebook

“After speaking with both local police and federal authorities, we trust the proper steps were taken and the process is being handled appropriately,” they explained to Fox News. “We are clinging to our faith — just as Ashley did each and every day.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.